THE CONCERT OF SOL: AN INTRODUCTION TO EARTH'S POLITICAL AFFAIRS
By: Lessa T'Feris, Armali University Press, Armali, 2071
INTRODUCTION:
Since their entrance in the galactic stage, humanity has garnered the attention of several scholars, analysts and politicians for their unique situation. Theirs is not a unified race, like the Turians, existing under a single planetary government. At the same time, rivalries between nation states, unlike the mostly peaceful coexistence of Asari city states, are key to understanding the political environment of Earth. Not since the uplifting of the Krogan has the council encountered such a divided race, and most importantly, one that developed space flight and colonized its neighboring system while immersed in intense national competition.
The present book aims to introduce its readers to the complex world of human geopolitical action. In understanding how they operate amongst themselves; we hope to illuminate their interactions with the galaxy at large and help the Council policymaker to build a more cooperative relation with her various human counterparts.
We divide our work in two main parts: the first is an exploration on the history and functioning of each main human nations: the People's Republic of China, the European Federation, and the United States of America. We will also analyze the plethora of minor powers, albeit more briefly.
The second part concerns multilateral relations and supranational institutions built to stabilize Earth's balance of power. We hope to shed a light to the motivations and objectives each power possesses when dealing with their peers.
Permeating the entire book will be some human political science theories and frameworks, for we believe that their own scholars are most suited to explain their nature. We will, of course, briefly discuss those theories, but that is not an objective of this book.
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CNS Top Story: Humanity celebrates 10-year anniversary of Treaty of Jakarta
Beijing, Brussels, and Washington D.C. The nations of the human home world of Earth celebrated today the 10 years since signing the pivotal treaty regulation space colonization. Negotiations began just after it was revealed the existence of the Charon Relay.
Approximately five years after the treaty, humanity made First Contact with Citadel races.
The treaty, among other things, establishes neutral zones inside key human systems: Sol and Arcturus Stream, where United Nations-led ships and stations provide a buffer zone that ensure no country can achieve space superiority above Earth, or cut humanity's home system from the rest of the galaxy. Abdul al-Sadri, professor of International relations and former diplomat, says that "by creating an enforced demilitarized zone centered on Earth and extending all the way to Venus and Mars, the treaty significantly lowered the chances of orbital strikes between warring nations, even though using ship borne weapons against planet Earth is prohibited, thereby the treaty was made with the implicitly objective that any war between superpowers could be confined to their colonial possessions and space, sparing Earth of the brunt of the fight"
It also creates the ground rules for colonization outside the Sol system, and grants the right of passage to any human ship in systems containing a mass relay.
After first contact was established with Citadel Races, the treaty was amended to create a unified defense against non-human invasions on Arcturus Stream. Several defense stations were built and manned by the United Nations to provide security to humanity's home system.
Critics says that the treaty and its language are too similar to old treaties regarding the colonization of Earth's less developed areas by past superpowers, especially during the XIX century. They also claim that having the UN providing security to Arcturus and Charon is effectively imposing a subsidized defense for the superpowers at the expense of less powerful nations that, although not possessing the means to sustain prolonged colonization's drive, are obliged to finance the forces designed to protect those who can.
GALATIC CODEX 2071 EDITION
THE MAIN HUMAN NATIONS
The PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA mainland is located on the easternmost part of the continent of Asia, Earth. Its main solar possessions are concentrated around Neptune, its many moons and scattered mining facilities inside Kuiper's belt. Extrasolar territories are based around Shanxi, the colony at the center of Human-Council First Contact Incident.
With a population of 1.6 billion people, China is one of the most populous countries on Earth. It has the world's largest economy, some 120 trillion dollars (approx. 600 trillion galactic credits) and is primarily based around electronics manufacturing and engineering services, but with a sizeable online services sector, mostly to cater to its massive population. The Chinese government is a one-party state ruled by the Communist Party (see: Earth's ideologies). The current leader is President Yao Weisheng.
The EUROPEAN FEDERATION mainland encompasses much of the continent of Europe, apart from the western parts of Russia and Turkey. The EF also maintains a plethora of small islands and territories all around the globe. Its main solar possessions are centered around Saturn. Mining operations are conducted mainly on the giant planet's many rings, and a small colonization process exists on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Mainly military in nature, the outpost supports the main European shipyards and naval bases orbiting the moon. Their main colonial cluster outside Sol is centered on Eden Prime.
The European population numbers around 550 million people, with a sizable immigrant community. Nationalist backlash against immigration is still present, although at a smaller scale than at its heyday in the early 2000. Economics wise, with a 102 trillion-dollar (510 trillion credits) Europe is known as a heavy engineering powerhouse, with some of the biggest shipyards and refineries on Sol currently under European control. Industrial conglomerates jointly owned by the government and private interests make up for most of its industrial base. There is also a sizeable amenities industry, mostly based on the European mainland.
Given the multicultural nature of this country, several languages are accepted as "official" by the government, with English serving as the "de facto" national language, although with the recent widespread adoption of real time translators, linguistic barriers are quickly disappearing. The current European leader is Prime Minister Giovanna Bianchi of the Social Democrat Party, who currently has the majority on the European Parliament.
The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is located on the North American subcontinent, occupying roughly a third of it, with some small island possessions over the Pacific Ocean. Their main presence outside Earth but inside Sol revolves around Jupiter and the asteroid ring between it and Mars. Colonial presence outside Sol centers around the world of Elysium. Currently, terraforming efforts are being made on America, Jupiter's largest moon (formerly known as Europa).
American economy has declined from its apex influence on Earth's stage since its zenith of the late XX century, although still sitting at an impressive 96 trillion dollars (480 trillion credits), roughly on par with Europe. American economy still suffers from a long process of de-industrialization that began some 70 years ago. Nowadays, its economy is primarily based on software and tech industries, and the exploration of raw resources from off-world sources. Its population numbers around 500 million people, with a significant presence of Latin Americans immigrants.
American politics still revolves around a two-party presidentialist system – the Democrats and Republicans – although smaller parties, especially the Greens and Libertarians, have made enough of an inroad on the political arena that their demands must be accounted for. The American president is Harold Brown of the Republican Party, currently serving his second term.
A/N: As you may have noticed, it's a AU with a divided Earth. Although I understand that a unified human race is a easier solution to tell a story focused on individual characters, I also always thougth that having competing nations would provide for a more rich background to the ME universe. As our world would have it, 3 human superpowers also presents a good symetry with the Galatic Council's configuration of 3 main races.
This first chapter is the usual "info dump" to set the stage to the main story: it will follow key events from the games (First Contact, Saren etc), but in a new setting. I tried to make it more interesting than a simple timeline or lore dump, hence the structure of academic book introduction, news article and wiki. Also, exchange rate is 1 dollar = 5 credits, there's an site that estimate exchange rates for fictional currencies and I rolled with an (aproximated) estimate they did.
And this is my first ever fic! English is not my first language, so pardon me for my across Chanel French, reviews are welcomed.