Whoa! The Federation IS a democracy!

[Reliant121]

To tell you the truth, I always saw the Federation with a Republic government.

As did I, tbh.

[Sionnach Glic]

Aye, I can imagine something like that.

[Mikey]

Agreed. I still believe that the dominant PC attitude in the UFP would allow for member worlds to use non-democratic selection procedures for their own representatives, if such procedures were already instituted in their individual cultures.

[Mark]

That would be the only way they COULD do it, and still adhere to the PD

[Sionnach Glic]

The PD only applies to non-Federation worlds.

[Mark]

But what I mean is that if say Planet X was a global monarchy and they joined the Federation, the Federation wouldn't suddenly tell them they must have a certain type of government, and have to manage their planet a certain way.

[Mikey]

That's my thought, but it relates more to the UFP's PC attitude than to the PD.

[Sionnach Glic]

Aye, that's due to the Federation's "we must respect everyone's culture no matter what" philosophy, and doesn't really have anything to do with the PD.

[Granitehewer]

Labelling something as democratic by the notion of elections,is always a little murky, dictatorships, communist politburos, oligarchys and military juntas and such often have elections and can regard themselves as democratic.

[Captain Seafort]

Indeed - if I may posit a theory that council members are appointed by the president, and the council then elects the president (possibly from any Federation citizen, rather than just from within itself), then the Federation's government would be a near-perfect analogue of the Vatican.

[Chris Propst]

Good point, Rochey - it could (and probably would, for accounting purposes) be more of a republic than a democracy.

However, TOS: "Amok Time" et. al. still indicate that some planets a/o seats in Federation government have non-democratic selection processes.

One line which has some slight bearing on this comes from "Attached". Riker says the following :

RIKER : They will listen to the report of the Enterprise Captain and his First Officer. And I can tell you right now that the First Officer's report will go something like this... 'Kesprytt is a deeply troubled world with social, political, and military problems that it has yet to resolve. The Kes, although a friendly and democratic people, are driven by suspicion, deviousness, and paranoia. In the opinion of this officer, they are not ready for membership.'"

Whilst it's far from conclusive of anything, really, he does cite the Kes being a democratic people as a positive factor in their chances of Federation membership. I don't think it's a stretch to conclude that the Federation as a whole at least regards democracy in a positive light.

It could also be that they sort of call whatever they like a democracy. The Cloud Minders planet was a Federation member I think. I imagine it's kind of like the U.S. where they all with whoever they need to and then say they believe in democracy, etc.

[Tsukiyumi]

...the Federation's government would be a near-perfect analogue of the Vatican.

Dear and fluffy lord...

[Mark]

Great googly-moogly