Protectorate

"It is the solemn duty of every spacer to protect one another. In times past, our struggle was only against the elements of harsh vacuum. Now, in this day and age, our struggle is for our life itself and the preservation of our vital breath from those who would take it from us." -- Haydn von Dehlin
The Protectorate was a nation-state formed from the loose association of four separate entities: The Confederacy, the Alliance, the Army of Eastern Kamijing and Free Mars. A fifth star on the Protectorate flag represents the Protectorate's duty towards the defense of the common person in Sol System from any aggression, no matter the source.
It was founded in SY 132 at the site of the city of Freeport on Mars as a direct response to the entry of the Consortium into the war. Previously, since SY 129, the disparate factions of the Main Belt had been waging a primarily defensive war against the Technocracy, each following it's own direction and tactics. With the unification of these elements, an offensive war could be waged.
At right is the First Flag of the Protectorate, the symbol flown across all Protectorate forces in addition to insignia denoting their origin. Many variations of this flag are flown throughout Protectorate history.
== Ideology and Government ==
The Protectorate was founded on a strong position of irredentism, formed out of a need to reclaim territory lost to the Technocracy for a common defense against any entity that threatened any of the founding factions of the Protectorate. It's politics were populist, anarchist, minarchist, democratic, and liberal. Protectorate thinkers believed strongly in self determination, self reliance, individuality, and universal human rights. Further, it was thought that after the war the Protectorate would be isolationist.
It officially claimed the entire Main Belt and the Rim. The Protectorate recognized the Consortium's right to rule the first three terrestrial planets and ardently denied any Technocratic claim. When the Consortium and Technocracy colluded to create it's unity government, the Protectorate withdrew it's recognition of the Consortium. Because these areas under the claim of the Protectorate had been violated, the Protectorate committed itself to an offensive war against Consortium-Technocratic forces all over Sol System. The Protectorate later extended it's claim to Luna when Tranquility Base defected from the Consortium and petitioned to join the Protectorate; defending this claim would lead directly to the Battle of Earth. 
Additionally, the Protectorate had an official policy of welcoming application of any entity in Sol System into it's fold, whether it be an individual all the way up to whole worlds. 
The Protectorate's claim to authority was a form of social contract theory, whereby the consent of the governed given to each of the four founding entities is in turn invested in the uniting idea of the Protectorate. It fulfills the role of peacekeeper and popular defense, claims in direct opposition to those of the Consortium; the Consortium cited similar reasons for entering the war. However, the Protectorate argues that the Consortium lacks the consent of the governed of all entities in the Main Belt and beyond.
=== Government ===
Under Protectorate dominion, worlds and factions retain their right to self-rule. There is no central ruling authority. The First Intrasolar Protectorate Association (FIPA) was formed almost immediately after the entry of the Consortium into the war and functioned as an armed political party. It's central figures were Haydn von Dehlin, Wu Kenshu, the civic leaders of each of the Confederate platforms (including governments-in-exile), and representatives of Confederate Militia and Free Martian Militia. FIPA functioned essentially as a provisional interim government and was divided for a short time until the ratification of the Declaration of the Protectorate of Mankind. This document was signed by each of the FIPA leaders and functioned as an effective constitution to the newly formed Protectorate. Copies were published throughout Mars, the Main Belt, and in Jupiter's space in the Rim.
FIPA called for an appointing of representatives to a central congress which would not function as a legislative or judicial authority, but as a public forum for the various entities of the Protectorate to communicate effectively with one another. Each faction appointed their representatives in their own way according to the particular functioning of the government. This collection of representatives quickly became known as the Conclave. A variety of publications came out of their meetings, and the political leaders of each of the Protectorate's factions took the thought of the Conclave into strong account. While the Conclave could not pass legislation, they could offer recommendations to Protectorate leaders. Many times these recommendations were followed.
While the Declaration was signed by representatives from essentially every governing entity within the Confederacy, the Confederacy as a whole did not ratify joining the Protectorate until SY 134 when the Fourth Congress passed the Act. This is because the central government of the Confederacy is considered a separate entity from it's member states, of which new factions may join the Protectorate by applying through the Conclave.
=== Economics ===
In contrast to the leftist systems inspired by historical socialism, communism, and technocracy espoused by the opposition, the Protectorate adhered to a policy of self-reliance and lassiez-faire. Free trade was encouraged among the Protectorate entities and among individuals themselves. At the recommendation of the Conclave, import / export taxes were abolished within the Protectorate except when dealing with Rimmers, who did not receive official Protectorate representation. 
One Protectorate thinker called the economics of the Protectorate "a mutualist distributism in solidarity". Mutualism is established between the various factions of the Protectorate, while distributism is enfranchised to every human of Sol System. The solidarity is the unity between the people and the factions.
== List of Protectorate Factions ==
* Founding Members
** Government-in-exile of Dosijing
** Government-in-exile of Kamijing
** The sixteen minor platforms (mostly governments-in-exile)
** Army of Eastern Kamijing
** Alliance
** Free Mars
* Joined During the War
** The Confederacy of Free Systems
** Freitaika Free Forces
* Postbellum
** Sons of Andromeda
== History ==
=== Founding ===
The entry into the war of the Consortium shocked citizens throughout Mars and the Main Belt. All hope for a quick resolution to the war was effectively dashed. FIPA was formed and the Protectorate organized with the creation of the Conclave.
=== During the Solar War ===
At right is a Protectorate trooper armed with a magnegun and light environmental suit. His orange suit indicates that originally came from the Confederacy; soon after the formation of the Protectorate, all soldiers began wearing an orange blaze if they did not have an orange jumpsuit. 
After their founding, the Protectorate will continue to oppose both Consortium and Technocracy military operations - and later those of the unity government - until the war's effective end with the Siege of Mars.
=== Postbellum ===
In SY 139, the Protectorate will largely base itself out of the Rim with working headquarters on Ganymede. 
With the collapse of the Consortium and reconsolidation of Earth life under Marcus Cato Scaevola and Septimus Severus Gaiaus Quintus, the Protectorate returned it's presence to Mars. The Protectorate continues to wage war against the Technocracy throughout the Main Belt as the majority of Technocratic forces are drawn towards Earth to help the diarchy consolidate power. 
It provides much-needed stability well into the Twilight Age, offering a slice of civilization and safety amidst the new proliferation of warbands. The continued trade between the Main Belt and the Rim is largely thanks to the Protectorate's stabilizing influence. For a brief time, trade occurred between Earth and the much-reduced Consortium on Earth until the formation of Nova Roma, whereby most official correspondence with Earth was cut. 
=== Twilight Age ===
During the Twilight Age, the Protectorate would maintain a standing military and frequently skirmish with warbands, including but not limited to the Soldiers of Charon and the HASICS. 
During SY 270, the advancing crusade of the Anthroperium is met by hard Protectorate resistance throughout the Main Belt. While the Anthroperium does not advance into the Main Belt, they do establish a presence on Mars. 
=== Second Trilogy ===
The Protectorate still exists in some form during Daedalus. Joshua encounters them when he arrives with the Dominion fleet in Sol System. It is members of the Protectorate that first recognize the fleet as being built from Progress fleet materials.
By the Advent of the Second Dominion in SY 862, the Protectorate had largely ceased to exist and it's elements absorbed into the SD.Category:First Trilogy
Category:Second Trilogy
Category:Factions