|
|
| Line 325: |
Line 325: |
|
| |
|
| == Politics == | | == Politics == |
|
| |
| === The Federal Constitution ===
| |
| Federal law is based on an agreed Constitution. People have rights and freedoms, enshrined by this agreement. A great many things are illegal, like slavery, cloning and certain narcotics. Local 'State' law prohibits trafficking to a greater or lesser degree. Things like ship-based weapons, personal weapons, other milder drugs and alcohol are banned in some systems.
| |
|
| |
| Federal law is controlled by the Mars government, and the sheer size of the Federation makes it very hard for a System to have any influence on changing it.<ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0162, Sol system</ref>
| |
|
| |
|
| === Government === | | === Government === |
| Line 346: |
Line 341: |
| Every Federation system has representation in Congress but generally a Congressman represents multiple systems, except a few (like Sol) that have more than on Congressional representative, based loosely on historic population. Phenomenal growth in the outer systems has meant that they have little representation in Congress and there is frequent discussion about creating many new Congressmen to address this balance, but the various power blocks realise it will change the balance of power away from the core systems, the very people who would have to vote it through - so many agree it is unlikely to happen in the near future.<ref name=":0" /> | | Every Federation system has representation in Congress but generally a Congressman represents multiple systems, except a few (like Sol) that have more than on Congressional representative, based loosely on historic population. Phenomenal growth in the outer systems has meant that they have little representation in Congress and there is frequent discussion about creating many new Congressmen to address this balance, but the various power blocks realise it will change the balance of power away from the core systems, the very people who would have to vote it through - so many agree it is unlikely to happen in the near future.<ref name=":0" /> |
|
| |
|
| === Law Enforcement ===
| | Federal law is based on an agreed Constitution. People have rights and freedoms, enshrined by this agreement. A great many things are illegal, like slavery, cloning and certain narcotics. Local 'State' law prohibits trafficking to a greater or lesser degree. Things like ship-based weapons, personal weapons, other milder drugs and alcohol are banned in some systems. |
| The Federal Criminal Investigations agency (or FCI) is the Federation's primary domestic security and law enforcement agency. They are
| |
| numerically inferior to the state police but are better trained and equipped, and cross internal State boundaries.<ref name=":2">Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0231, Sol system</ref>
| |
|
| |
|
| They are primarily an investigative unit, although they do maintain significant enforcement units. These provide specialist operational support and police backup (like SWAT teams and undercover units) as well as more traditional support for state police forces.<ref name=":2" />
| | Federal law is controlled by the Mars government, and the sheer size of the Federation makes it very hard for a System to have any influence on changing it.<ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0162, Sol system</ref> |
| | |
| There is a traditional rivalry between the FCI and State police, but that doesn't prevent them working effectively together.<ref name=":2" />
| |
| | |
| Its history goes back over a millennium, evolving out of the
| |
| various security bureaus on Earth. Some rituals still remain, for example the ceremonies when its members are promoted retain an ancient, martial feel, relating to the FBI and FSB - organisations dating to a pre-Federation era - though in fact they don't really relate to them.<ref name=":2" />
| |
| | |
| Additionally, the Federal Intelligence Agency (FIA) also follows up on major interstellar crimes within the Federation, where the crime crosses outside Federal space. It is a secretive organisation (paralleling the Imperial IISS) specialising in corruption and high level crime, and is considered not very accountable.<ref name=":3">Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0232, Sol system</ref>
| |
| | |
| === Intelligence Agencies ===
| |
| The Federal Intelligence Agency (or FIA) is a secretive organisation that looks after Federal interests outside the Federation. It runs both espionage and counter-espionage operations and provides covert support for Federal diplomats abroad, providing intelligence relating to foreign operations in addition to protection. It has also been pro-active on many occasions. It has been implicated in destabilising foreign governments, and helping those with which the Federal Government is sympathetic or when their causes are aligned. Its operations have gone as far as providing arms and training directly to rebels, assassinations, rigged elections, all done in a clandestine and deniable way.<ref name=":3" />
| |
| | |
| The FIA also follows up on major interstellar crimes within the Federation, where the crime crosses outside Federal space. It is a secretive organisation (paralleling the Imperial IISS) specialising in corruption and high level crime, and is considered not very accountable.<ref name=":3" />
| |
|
| |
|
| == See also == | | == See also == |
