Socialist Union

The **Socialist Union** is a republic situated in the Estrell Region of the galaxy, encompassing 9 completely habitable planets. It is one of the newest independent political entities in the galaxy. It gained independence during the Aranian War as a reaction to measures implemented by the federal government of the Federative Union of Orion-Centaurus, of which the SU was part of. It is regarded as the most progressive mainly human state, with science and technology flourishing and new inventions being made at astronomical speeds.

# History

## First Settlement

Xilaxing, now known as Xinjing, was discovered in the years 2230-2250, by a Greek expedition along with many systems that are now in the Socialist Union. The third planet of the system was first settled by a big Chinese contingent from the People's Republic of China and the system and planet were eventually named Xilaxing(Greek star in Chinese). As the population grew, there was a growing desire for autonomy from the United Nations and for direct membership in it, as until then, they were governed by the federal government as a part of the PRC. Reforms by a new president of the PRC concerning the governance of outersol territories (mostly concerning limitations to the independence of their economic and industrial activities) were met with massive protests in Xilaxing. The systems near Xilaxing, administered by the EF, the PAU and the ULASR protested in solidarity with Xilaxing and as a warning to Sol to not implement similar measures. As the economic power of Xilaxing and the neighbouring systems grew, so did the desire of these systems for independence from the federal states of Earth.

## Federal State of the UN

In 2346, after increased demands of the PRC for closer cooperation and further integration with the PRC and increasing animosity between Xilaxing and the Asian capital, a referendum was held, on whether Xilaxing should become independent of the PRC and join the UN as a federal state. The referendum was successful with the overwhelming majority (92%) voting in favour. On the 10th of December 2346, the Xilaxing Socialist Republic was admitted into the United Nations. In 2354 a referendum on Alvarado was held on whether they should become independent from the ULASR and join Xilaxing. 86% voted in favour of both measures and the Castro Star System with surrounding territories joined Xīlàxīng. The federal entity was renamed and now known as the Socialist Republic of South Sagittarium.

Over the next half-century more and more surrounding systems left their Earth federal states to join the SRSS due to its very progressive socialist economic policies and political structure led by the South Sagittarium Socialist Party. By 2402 the SRSS had its current borders, although it was still part of the UN. The SSSP was closely cooperating with the federal government and all the constituent states.

## Aranian War and Independence

In 2456, after rising diplomatic tensions between the UN and Revossia, a skirmish between military vessels of these entities escalated into the first major interstellar conflict in UN history. UN tactics of interstellar warfare were tested for the first time and found very underdeveloped, as a conflict of such scale has never happened before. The SRSS was one of a few federal states opposed to the escalation of the conflict.

As it escalated into an all-out war, the people of South Sagittarium demanded to stay neutral. Under increasing pressure by the federal government to commit resources to the war effort, the people grew discontent with Sol and demanded an end to the war by any means possible. The SSSP drew up a referendum with three possible actions on it: 1. Stop all non-humanitarian trade with the UN until the end of the war. 2.Start negotiations with Revossia to secure SRSS neutrality. 3.Declare independence from the UN to ensure total neutrality. The first two actions both unsurprisingly achieved over 98% of the vote. The third action, included to measure the discontent of the population with the UN, in a very surprising turn of events achieved a 74% majority. On, what is now a Union holiday, the 5th of November 2458, the Socialist Republic of South Sagittarium declared its independence from the United Nations and the delegates to the General Assembly left the building in New York for the last time. The government immediately proceeded to negotiate with the UN and Revossia to secure neutrality in the war.

After a resounding defeat of the UN and the independence of the newly created Republic of Arano from a dozen federal entities as a buffer state between the UN and Revossia, the SRSS offered great help to the rebuilding of affected worlds and systems of all parties.

At the end of the war ambassadors from the Kedeilian Order approached all major interstellar states with the offer to form an Interstellar Assembly to hopefully prevent another such war from happening again. The SRSS joined the IA under the name of the **Socialist Union**. The UN, with many federal states demanding greater autonomy after a humiliating defeat and many Revossians immigrating into it, was officially renamed and became the Federative Union of Orion-Centaurus. Shortly thereafter Xilaxing was renamed to Xinjing (new capital). As migration to the Socialist Union grew and the political and economic structure was reformed to be better suited for an independent state, the Union became a beacon of socialism, economic and political stability, citizen democracy and prosperity in a diverse galaxy.

# Structure

## Organs of the Union

#### People's Councils

* Local People's Councils
* Provincial/Municipal People's Councils
* Regional People's Councils
* Planetary People's Councils
* People's Council of the Socialist Union

#### Socialist Party

* Local Committee PlSP
* Provincial/Municipal Committee PlSP
* Regional Committee PlSP
* Central Committee PlSP
* Socialist Party of the Union Central Committee

PlSP - Planetary Socialist Party

The People's Councils are responsible for the proposing, debating and passing of legislation of the Union. Planetary People's Councils have the greatest autonomy of all of the subdivisions, governed de facto as federal subdivisions, though they don't have their own constitution. Self-governance shows through policymaking and resource allocation where planets operate and trade with each other without central government control. The primary purpose of the central government is foreign policy, defence, interstellar trade and diplomatic relations. Party Committees are the administrative powerhouses mainly working with resource and labour allocation, trade, economic planning etc. The People's Councils concern themselves with policy decisions, law-making and diplomacy. Party committees can submit changes to laws to their respective People's Council which can then be passed as law or sent back for to the party committee for revisions. By constitution law all decisions of the People's Councils are approved by the respective Party Committee. In cases where a law doesn't pass, but reaches at least 45% of the vote in a People's Council, the respective Party Committee has the right to approve the law and make it effective immediately.

## Administrative Subdivisions

#### Local

For municipalities is a municipal district, for provinces is any settlement with more than 20 permanent inhabitants.

#### Provincial/Municipal

Provinces are administrative subdivision the size of small federal states back on Earth. Municipalities are all the urban centres.

#### Regional

Administrative subdivision are the size of continents, not unlike the People's Republics of Asia or the European Federation on Earth. Planetary level consists of no more than 20 and no less than 2 Regional levels.

#### Planetary

Planetary administration encompasses the whole star system and extends to some neighbouring star systems as well, determined in a case by case scenario, with the biggest of them all, the capital, at a bit less than a thousand light-years in diameter. All outposts in this region operate directly under the planetary administration.

All the territory of the Socialist Union is administered by the central government. Outer Space territory, which constitutes a majority (99.9999%) of Union space, and a minority of Union population (0.02%), is divided into sectors, under the maintenance of special joint PCSU and SPU CC administrative commissions, directly under central government jurisdiction. These sectors are mostly uninhabited, and also function as the main source of metals and minerals not found in close proximity to any planet of the Union. Any population in these sectors has a few elected representatives to the commissions.

## Territories

Planets of the Socialist Union:

* Xinjing - Xinjing System (Xinjing III - CAPITAL)
* Alvarado - Castro System (Castro III)
* Velikiy Novoktiabr - Engels System (Engels IV)
* Nea Antiocheia - Antioch System (Antioch IIIc)
* Liebknecht - Luxemburgian System (Luxemburg II)
* New Dublin - Piarais System (Piarais IV)
* Alsahra - Aethiop System (Aethiop IIa)
* Wina Rein - Methorion System (Methorion V)
* Okeania - Aeolian System (Aeolos IIb)

# Military

The Union People's Army is the regular armed forces of the **Socialist Union**. The UPA has 4 major branches: The Ground Defence Force, the Naval Defence Force, the Air Force and the Space Force.

## Service Branches

UPA Ground Defence Force primary mission is the defence of the 9 inhabited planets of the Socialist Union as garrisons. Each planetary garrison numbers roughly 9 million total active personnel.

UPA Naval Defence Force primary mission is the defence of the 9 inhabited planets of the Socialist Union and the patrol of planetary oceans on nuclear-powered vessels.

UPA Air Force has two primary functions. Aerial defence and patrol of the inhabited systems, while cooperating closely with the navy, and a minor objective of aerial supremacy and bombardment on atmospheric worlds that the Socialist Union might invade.

UPA Space Force is the biggest offensive capability of the UPA. An interstellar invasion, an orbital blockade, a boarding of another spacecraft, a troop landing on key points in deep space and in peaceful times the patrol of major trade routes and anti-piracy action are all objectives of the UPA Space Force.

## Territorial Commands

UPA Xinjing Command, UPA Castro Command, UPA Engels Command, UPA Antioch Command, UPA Luxemburgian Command, UPA Piarais Command, UPA Aethiops Command, UPA Methorion Command, UPA Aeolian Command.

Each Command is responsible for the garrison of the star system its assigned to. Each Command HQ is located in the capital of each planetary administration.

# Economy

## Energy

Most of the energy needs of the Socialist Union are met with nuclear powerplants and solar panels.

## Production

All the planets are self-sufficient in nearly everything because transporting goods through thousands of light-years is too inefficient. The asteroid mining of the 9 systems with inhabited planets accounts for 90% of all space-mining of the SU. The rest of the space-mining, for additional metals and minerals, is done in close-lying regions to the main population centers. Only a few outposts exist further than a thousand light-years from the planets, mining resources that are unavailable elsewhere.

## Trade

Planetary trade is mostly accomplished through aerial transport, as cheap hydrogen fuel is available in obscene quantities through nanotechnologies based on common metals. Interstellar trade is done on medium-sized freighters, capable of transporting comparatively large quantities of goods. Smaller freighters are used by traders to exchange rare goods that are produced in only a few places in the galaxy. The Navmarks have played a significant role in connecting the galaxy.

# Demographics

## Education

Between the ages of 6 and 16, kids attend public schools, learning the basics that every Union citizen needs on their own pace with their EduAI, basics that include but are not limited to languages, maths, physics, history, political and social sciences, use of modern technology and other helpful skills. Teachers fill a pedagogic role, instead of being a source of information. After 10 years of primary education kids choose a number of courses from a selection compiled by their EduAI based on their abilities and needs, and complete them on their own time. They can attend school to study with other sentients with similar goals or stay at home. After the age of 25, special libraries for those still studying courses exist, to promote social life and learning. A completed course is usually more than enough qualification to become employed in a related field.