The First Century: A United Nations Stellaris AAR

[zenphoenix]

Since I'm an American, I would naturally suggest adding George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to the mix. Maybe even Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy too.

Now I'm imagining a UNS Obama. The "Thanks Obama" jokes would be insane.

 

[annsan]

Since I'm an American, I would naturally suggest adding George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to the mix. Maybe even Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy too.

Now I'm imagining a UNS Obama. The "Thanks Obama" jokes would be insane.

In 200 years Lincoln is probably the only US president who will be remembered as having a global human rights significance

 

[Nikolai]

Pacifists in this age and time....pfffff....cowards I call them!

 

[zenphoenix]

Pacifists in this age and time....pfffff....cowards I call them!

Service guarantees citizenship! I'm doing my part! Would you like to know more?

 

[Telcharinogrod]

Mainly because of my nationalism, I wish to include William of Orange in the lineup. For his time, he was incredibly progressive supporting Freedom of Concience, allowing Catholics to freely worship in the Protestant Netherlands as long as they weren't too open about it.

If you want a Dutchman, I'd propose Johan Thorbecke (drafter and prime mover of the democratic constitution, resigned his prime ministership fighting for Catholic rights, generally the guy who made the Netherlands into a modern constitution democracy) over William (who, whilst ahead of his time, was still very much not up to modern standards).

 

[Schmorgen]

As an Australian might I propose Gough Whitlam? The introduction of medicare, and the first official steps towards reconciliation for indigenous people in this country were both important milestones.

 

[J66185]

Hmmmmm.........., what about the UNS General Sherman, who scourged the South?

 

[Bored Student1414]

Add furious complaining about the imperialist westerners and northerners neglecting the contributions of the people of the Global South and indigenous peoples in ship a name suggestions for an international fleet meant to protect humanity and show humanity's best to the outside galaxy. Add complaining warships named after peace activists and so on.
If the UN wanted to avoid this mess, it could have named vessels with letters and numbers like DD-01 alone so why names?

In the most recent chapter, we hear from peace activists and anti-militarists bitterly opposed to further space militarization and the Secretary-General's plan to turn the UN Peacekeepers into Earth's de facto space military. In Chapter 10, we encountered angry businessmen and government officials for desiring more protection from the alien threat. Presumably, settlers and researchers demanded the same thing as they are most at risk to space pirate. The new conspiracy theory going around was that the UN were covering up and downplaying the alien threats. This is, of course, completely expected for an organization responsible to the whole of humanity and its diverse opinions. It is only 25 years since FTL travel was developed so the differences between the Earthbound, planetary settlers, and spacers aren't too great but they will grow and might become unbridgeable if not dealt with early.

Now the humanitarian armada, peacekeeping fleet, or military debate that perpetually plagues Starfleet in Star Trek that @annsan alluded to and will likely be a thing in this story as well. In the story, the UN Space Organization formerly commanded the tiny space fleet but the current Secretary-General moved the combat assets to the new UNPCOM so we no longer have a do everything service like Starfleet. But the UNPCOM is officially a peacekeeping service and the names of its vessels are according after people who tried to save others and promote peace and not names like Vengeance and Retribution. Is this a good thing or is it better to have a official space military in your opinion?

 

[annsan]

Add furious complaining about the imperialist westerners and northerners neglecting the contributions of the people of the Global South and indigenous peoples in ship a name suggestions for an international fleet meant to protect humanity and show humanity's best to the outside galaxy. Add complaining warships named after peace activists and so on.
If the UN wanted to avoid this mess, it could have named vessels with letters and numbers like DD-01 alone so why names?

In the most recent chapter, we hear from peace activists and anti-militarists bitterly opposed to further space militarization and the Secretary-General's plan to turn the UN Peacekeepers into Earth's de facto space military. In Chapter 10, we encountered angry businessmen and government officials for desiring more protection from the alien threat. Presumably, settlers and researchers demanded the same thing as they are most at risk to space pirate. The new conspiracy theory going around was that the UN were covering up and downplaying the alien threats. This is, of course, completely expected for an organization responsible to the whole of humanity and its diverse opinions. It is only 25 years since FTL travel was developed so the differences between the Earthbound, planetary settlers, and spacers aren't too great but they will grow and might become unbridgeable if not dealt with early.

Now the humanitarian armada, peacekeeping fleet, or military debate that perpetually plagues Starfleet in Star Trek that @annsan alluded to and will likely be a thing in this story as well. In the story, the UN Space Organization formerly commanded the tiny space fleet but the current Secretary-General moved the combat assets to the new UNPCOM so we no longer have a do everything service like Starfleet. But the UNPCOM is officially a peacekeeping service and the names of its vessels are according after people who tried to save others and promote peace and not names like Vengeance and Retribution. Is this a good thing or is it better to have a official space military in your opinion?

In our day the US military names hardware after indigenous people and some find it offensive. You cannot really win. The distribution of the names is actually pretty proportional. Probably too many Europeans vs Asians but Africa should be quite happy with 2 out of 6. As for why they have names I guess it is why ships have names in our time. It’s easier for the public and military personnel to care for something that has a name and a ‘personality’ And therefore easier to fund and everything else

I think an official ‘space military’ would be a problem because it would be seen as a rival/threat to the sovereignty of Earth nation states. The update makes clear that national militaries still exist. So therefore although UNPCOM is clearly a military it will probably never be called that for political purposes.

 

[J_Master]

Hmmmmm.........., what about the UNS General Sherman, who scourged the South?

How about a UNS Arthur "Bomber" Harris, or is that more something for a weapon to destroy a planet?

 

[Telcharinogrod]

How about a UNS Arthur "Bomber" Harris, or is that more something for a weapon to destroy a planet?

You mean the UNS Manhattan Project?

I actually really like the warships named after peacemakers and generally admirable people. These ships will be the "face" of humanity towards the universe at large, and a statement of our priorities both towards other species and to ourselves. It's good they're named after bringers of peace, acceptance and equality, and aren't named "Imperator" and "Retribution" and stuff like it seems warships enevitably get called at some point...

 

[annsan]

I am curious as it is background lore that may not be covered in the story ever but how do you guys think the super states of First Century came into being

The narrative says only:

The late 21st century and early 22nd saw a period of political consolidation on the Earth, both among nations, with the formation of the Gulf Union, the European Confederation, and the United States of North America

The context suggests that some of these changes happened due to globalization/the climate collapse but how do you think the USNA etc was formed

The European Confederation seems to be an obvious evolution of the EU of our day

The Gulf Union could be the same for today's Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Chinese People's Federation seems to be the result of the Chinese democratic revolution that is mentioned a few times in the lore

USNA is more mysterious. Maybe an evolution of NAFTA? Some have suggested that because the USNA seems to have the same political system and flag (see Chapter 6) as today's USA that the USA actually conquered Mexico and Canada at some point. Another possibility I think of is demographic changes. Most (all?) of the American characters we see have somewhat spanish names. In chapter 10 an American UN official is described as "a suited Hispanglo man". This suggests the demographics of America and Canada shifted very dramatically to a point where greater union with Latin America was desirable and possible

 

[zenphoenix]

USA actually conquered Mexico and Canada at some point.

There is no way, both now and in the future, that the USA would invade and conquer both Mexico and Canada and not be immediately condemned by the international community, let alone keep its conquests long enough to establish an internationally-recognized USNA. I think it's more likely this is an evolution of NAFTA, and the flag and political system were just chosen because they were those of the dominant member in NAFTA (also because the flag's the most recognizable around the world).

 

[SibCDC]

I've just caught up with this amazing AAR. It really spiked my interest into Stellaris again. As a Belgian, I'd love to see what Brussels looks like this far in the future. As for ship names, I would propose Herman van Rompuy (first President of the European Council), Dominique Pire (Nobel Peace Prize winner for helping refugees after WW2) or even Paul-Henri Spaak (first Chairman of the General Assembly of the UN, first President of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community and second Secretary-General of NATO).

 

[JodelDiplom]

I nominate the following outstanding persons of German nationality to have space ships that defend humanity named after them

Helmut Rahn
Franz Beckenbauer
Mario Götze

May their names and their deeds be remembered across the stars

 

[zenphoenix]

I nominate the following Chinese activists for their contributions to human rights and democracy in China (which in The First Century have technically been realized):

Ai Weiwei

Wei Jingsheng

Bao Zunxin

Cai Lujun

Chen Pokong

There are a lot more on the Wikipedia page for Chinese dissidents/human rights activists.

 

[nicochrish]

Franz Beckenbauer

Him, but not Gerd Müller? Hmm....



On a more Serious Note, Robert Schumann & Jean Monnet

 

[youstas]

I wonder does UN have an anthem? I really like your ship naming coventions so I nominate the following soviet dissidents and human rights activists to have space ships named after them

Vladimir Bukovsky

Andrei Sakharov

Lyudmila Alexeyeva

Mustafa Dzhemilev

Sergei Kovalyov

Petro Grigorenko

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

 

[annsan]

I wonder does UN have an anthem?

Whenever I see this

at the movies I feel very patriotic about Earth

 

[Bored Student1414]

I wonder does UN have an anthem?

From Wikipedia.

On the request of the United Nations Secretary General, a Hymn to the UN was performed on the occasion of its 26th anniversary, on October 24, 1971, by Pablo Casals, the lyrics to which were penned by the poet W.H. Auden. The then UN Secretary General U Thant had expressed his hope that this hymn would become the de facto UN anthem over the years, but it did not. From the Earth Anthem page.

The idea has been considered but one has never been adopted. It is difficult to make a song stirring, easily translatable, and inoffensive to the whole world.