Prime Directive Bites the Federation

[Tyyr]

I'm not a fan of the Prime Directive, or at least the way its implemented. Yes, I can see how not dicking around with cultures less advanced than you is a good idea. One that I'm all for, however the totally hands off approach of the Federation seems at times to be hyper literal and just daft. We've seen several occasions when Captains were quite ready to condemn other species to extinction when it was within their power to stop it. Honestly, I'm not sure how extinction works into a species development, it would seem to be the end of it.

Anyways, on to my question/idea. What if one of the victims of a Federation ethnic cleansing... sorry, enlightened inaction, survived? Say a culture that was on the cusp of warp travel but failed to detect an incoming asteroid until it was too late? 99%+ death rate, the survivors are mostly scattered in deep tunnel bomb shelters and the like left over from war preparations of the last generation. One group that survives happens to be the warp flight one. With nothing else to do they focus their time and effort on their first warp ship and complete it. They make their first warp flight about a decade after the impact while everyone is still living underground.

Well spotting the warp flight the Federation rides in and says hi. First contact goes well, these people are desperate for any hope at all. Well they start to buddy up to the Federation until they learn that the Federation had been watching them for decades. Not only watching them, but watched their world get smashed by the asteroid, standing by and documenting it when they could have stopped it.

The survivors are not amused. A little research reveals that their world is rich in some natural resource that is valuable. Instead of allying with the people who happily watched billions of them die they strike out on their own, using their new warp technology to start making contacts with groups who are more than happy to help them in exchange for mineral rights. They buy newer, faster ships, better technology, etc. As they lift their own world out of the disaster that befell it they start sending out ships to other pre-warp worlds looking for anyone the Federation is benevolently allowing to go extinct and offering any help they can.

So that's my idea for a race but here's the question, how does the Federation respond?

The Federation has the Prime Directive but these people are non-members contacting other non-members. Would the Federation try and impose the PD?

[Sionnach Glic]

I'm not a fan of the Prime Directive, or at least the way its implemented. Yes, I can see how not dicking around with cultures less advanced than you is a good idea. One that I'm all for, however the totally hands off approach of the Federation seems at times to be hyper literal and just daft. We've seen several occasions when Captains were quite ready to condemn other species to extinction when it was within their power to stop it. Honestly, I'm not sure how extinction works into a species development, it would seem to be the end of it.

Indeed. The Prime Directive of the TNG+ era is quite simply an allowance of genocide, purely because whatever species in question somehow doesn't "deserve" to survive for not reaching an arbitrary technological point. They tried to justify it in ENT with "Dear Doctor", but we all know how that turned out.

The Federation has the Prime Directive but these people are non-members contacting other non-members. Would the Federation try and impose the PD?

They'd protest strongly, but do nothing to interfere.

[Mikey]

They'd protest strongly, but do nothing to interfere.

Yep. The UFP has no jurisdiction to impose its onw regulations on a non-UFP culture. And there would be enough PC, do-gooder, bleeding-heart handwringing among the UFP leadership about how they left that race to die - even though its par for the course - to do much anyway.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

And Kirk's ghost would be laughing his head off. Or weeping.

[Teaos]

Assuming the Feds sphere of influence surrounds the system of the species they could restrict travel.

[Monroe]

Now this would be a nice new enemy. Adds shade of gray that Trek badly needs.

[Deepcrush]

I would love to see something come back and bite the UFP in the ass.

After the Dominion War we should be seeing a huge shift in the mindset of the people of the UFP. Mostly out of Humans since they bare the bulk of any losses the UFP suffers.

[Graham Kennedy]

So that's my idea for a race but here's the question, how does the Federation respond?

The Federation has the Prime Directive but these people are non-members contacting other non-members. Would the Federation try and impose the PD?

They wouldn't try to stop them. As far as I can tell, the Federation doesn't much care what others do; they don't regard the PD as a universal law which requires them to prevent any species from affecting any other species, it's about THEM not interfering with others.

They'd also make a long preachy speech to the species about how the disaster has made them stronger and more capable in the long run, and if the Federation had stepped in and averted it then they would have been softer, weaker, and more dependent on the Federation - and isn't that a bigger harm in the end?

[Tyyr]

They wouldn't try to stop them. As far as I can tell, the Federation doesn't much care what others do; they don't regard the PD as a universal law which requires them to prevent any species from affecting any other species, it's about THEM not interfering with others.

Didn't Voyager miss a ride home specifically to stop the two Ferengi from further dicking with a primitive world though in False Profits?

They'd also make a long preachy speech to the species about how the disaster has made them stronger and more capable in the long run, and if the Federation had stepped in and averted it then they would have been softer, weaker, and more dependent on the Federation - and isn't that a bigger harm in the end?

To which this race would reply, '"Get fucked."

Now this would be a nice new enemy. Adds shade of gray that Trek badly needs.

How would they be an enemy though? They'd have 2200's tech or so. They don't want to destroy the Federation just try and prevent them from letting other species die because they're too primitive to talk to the almighty Federation.

[Teaos]

Assuming they are deep inside Federation space they could "Join" the Romulans or Klingons for "aid".

That race then uses them as a stepping stone for anti Federation action, be it war, or just spying ect.

[Monroe]

Assuming they are deep inside Federation space they could "Join" the Romulans or Klingons for "aid".

That race then uses them as a stepping stone for anti Federation action, be it war, or just spying ect.

Exactly. And who knows they might develop something that works really against the Federation and team up with other pissed off alien races as the OP suggested.

[Tyyr]

No, what I was suggesting is that they take it upon themselves to help those "backward" people the Federation enjoys watching die. I never suggested they set off on some grand plan of revenge.

[Teaos]

In that sace the Federation would send them a strongly worded letter and then do nothing.

[Mikey]

Didn't Voyager miss a ride home specifically to stop the two Ferengi from further dicking with a primitive world though in False Profits?

Yep. But are you seriously using Janeway's application of regulations and/or morality as an example of consistent policy?

[Monroe]

In that sace the Federation would send them a strongly worded letter and then do nothing.

Sounds like the UN.

"Cease your nuclear production. This makes the UN very unhappy!"

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Send you a letter telling you how unhappy we are!"

Paraphrasing Team America but you get the jist.