How Do You Join Star Trek's United Federation Of Planets? A Guide
by Witney Seibold · /FilmAdd SlashFilm on Google:
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Welcome to Trekspertise, a series where we break down the technology, history, details, and decisions that make the Star Trek universe so complex — and so fun.
Trekkies can tell you all about how the United Federation of Planets came together in the "Star Trek" timeline. The Federation was formed in the year 2161, about a century before the events of the original "Star Trek" series. It came together in San Francisco, formed by humans, Andorians, Tellarites, and Vulcans after many years of negotiation about the possibility of some kind of interplanetary peace and resource-sharing coalition. The events of the TV series "Star Trek: Enterprise," set in the 2150s, lay the groundwork for the Federation's founding.
Since then, the number of Federation members has grown by leaps and bounds. By the events of "Star Trek: Prodigy" (set in the late 24th century), there are said to be over 150 members of the organization that, when collected, span 8,000 lightyears of the Milky Way. Being a member of the Federation is beneficial to everyone, as it guarantees a prestigious spot in a thriving community of trade, diplomacy, and idea exchange. Every new world in the Federation indicates a little more peaceful cultural complexity in the galaxy. Every member of the Federation has a say in its operation.
But as Trekkies might hasten to point out, the Federation is not an organization devoted to conquest. It doesn't aim to take over its member worlds, and never forces anyone to join at gunpoint. Indeed, there is a long and complex application process wherein Federation hopefuls have to prove to a network of reviewers that they are sufficiently enlightened to be part of a peaceful galactic force. If you get caught committing human rights violations, you're out.
On Star Trek, Federation contacts you
As seen in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "First Contact," when a planet first invents viable faster-than-light technology, the Federation immediately takes an interest. Starfleet is sent to contact that now-warp-capable world to explain that, by leaving their homeworld for the first time, a species is about to enter into a massive, interconnected galactic community of peace and cooperation. If a species doesn't have faster-than-light engines yet, Starfleet has a very, very strict hands-off, no-contact policy.
Once they do have said engines, though, a Starfleet representative will covertly contact the world's leaders (they don't want to freak out the general populace) and explain the situation. That planet's society is about to move into the next phase of its social evolution.
Of course, those introductions alone do not make one a Federation member. In fact, there seem to be a few strict policies in place that can make a world even eligible for membership. In addition to having warp engines and being able to care for themselves on interplanetary missions, a crucial policy is that worlds are inducted, not species. This means a world will have to be more or less united under one single peaceful government before the Federation will even consider them. Additionally, they need to have been able to resolve all inter-nation conflicts, as well as all social and political divisions. Individual rights might be respected.
Thirdly, there is to be no caste discrimination of any kind. This was stated explicitly in the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episode "Accession." In short, to join the Federation, you really need to have your s*** together.
Applying to be a member of the Federation is also a very long, drawn-out process that takes years of review.
The application process to get into the Federation is very lenghty
Usually, Starfleet officers have to give a recommendation one way or the other before a final vote is taken back at Federation headquarters. Although a single Starfleet officer cannot sink a whole world's hopes of joining the Federation, a bad letter of recommendation can sway the vote.
A world might be able to prove, on paper, that they have fulfilled the three aforementioned requirements, but there could still be a few rights violations hiding in the cracks. In the "Next Generation" episode "The Hunted," for instance, the world of Angosia III is hoping to join, but their application comes into question when it's revealed how they treated their war veterans. It seems that they genetically conditioned their soldiers for combat, and then, when the wars were all over, simply threw them in prison rather than deprogramming them. Yeah, that'll get you rejected from the Federation in due course.
The "TNG" episode "Attached" provides a special case. The planet of Kesprytt is not united, but one of the planet's two remaining nation/species — the Kes — wants to join the Federation. Their application is being reviewed by the bearded Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes), who finds that the Kes are not able to communicate well with the Prytt. He ultimately writes that "Kesprytt [is] a deeply troubled world with social, political, and military problems they have yet to resolve. The Kes, while a friendly and democratic people, are driven by suspicion, deviousness, and paranoia. It is the opinion of this officer they are not ready for membership."
So even having a pernicious, paranoid culture can get one rejected from the Federation. Once you're in, you get to be part of a galactic space utopia for the ages. If you're still working things out ... well, come back when you've grown up a little.