Government

Government is the method by which a subplanetary (...smaller than a world), planetary (world), or interstellar (multi-system) state or community leads (governs) itself.

• The study of governments and other related subjects is known as political science, a type of social science.

Description (Specifications)

The Imperium uses a system to distinguish governments from each other. This system is called the UWP System. Government types in the UWP indicates the general type of authority. The Planetary Government tables describe characteristics of each government type by power structure or source.

• Please see Allegiance Code for more information.

State vs. Stateless Systems

While all of the states (polities) in Charted Space are interstellar (...or smaller) in nature, larger-sized states, such as pangalactic or polygalactic arrangements, have been hypothesized, but do not exist within Charted Space.

State Polities

A State is an organized community living under a common leadership (government), organized on the basis of a subplanetary (...smaller than a world), planetary (world), or interstellar (multi-system) government. States are also referred to as polities. Most States have an organized government, which possesses executive, legislative, and judiciary power structures.

Stateless Polities

A Stateless Society is a society that is not governed by a state. Stateless Societies have little to no centralization of authority. What positions of authority exist are generally extremely-limited in power and scope. Stateless Societies use widely-disparate economic and cultural organizational practices. Many Stateless Societies posses little in the way of executive, legislative, or judiciary power structures.

• The Hive Federation, which also bears some properties of a Confederation, is as close to a stateless society (anarchy) as can be found in the major states of Charted Space. Some Solomani scientists call the Hive Federation a form of Anarcho-capitalism.

Government Powers

Governments exist with vastly different levels of power and influecne over nearby governments or states.

Please see client state and pocket empire for more information.

Minor Powers

• Minor Power: A Minor Power, or Micro Power, is a state may or may not have achieved independence from other states in most aspects of governance. Minor States have little freedom of governance and, if strongly dominated by another state, they may be classifed as client states or vassal states.
• Power: A (Standard) Power is a state that has achieved independence but not much freedom from other states in most aspects of governance.

Major Powers

• Superpower: A Superpower, or Great Power, or Macro Power, is one of a handful of states (polities) that dominate all other lesser states in their interstellar sphere.
• Hyperpower: A Hyperpower is a state (polity) that dominates all other states in its interstellar sphere.

Sovereign vs. Non-sovereign States

States may additionally be Sovereign or Non-sovereign.

Sovereign Polities

A Sovereign State is a state run by a Centralized Government that has sovereignty over an astrographic area, sometimes as small as a single solar system and, at other times, as large as a multi-system or even multi-sector polity.

Sovereign Polity Qualities

Sovereign States most often share the following qualities:

• Autonomous
• Independent
• Self-governing.

Sovereign Polity Terms

Sovereign States are often referred to as:

• Great Powers
• Hyperpowers
• (Standard) Powers
• Superpowers

Non-sovereign Polities

A Non-sovereign State is a state that has little to no sovereignty over an astrographic area.

Non-sovereign Polity Qualities

Non-sovereign States most often share the following qualities:

• Non-autonomous (Subjugated)
• Not independent (Subordinate or Subsidiary)
• Not self-governing (Subservient)

Non-sovereign Polity Terms

Non-sovereign States are often referred to as:

• Banana Republics
• A client state
• A colony
• A dependent state
• Minor Powers
• An occupied state (Under military administration)
• A puppet state
• A vassal state

Government Power Structures

There are five primary power structure types, most commonly found amongst the governments of Charted Space:

• Confederation: A Confederation is an interstellar political entity with a very loose relationship amongst a number of smaller political units. In some cases, a confederacy is little more than an alliance between independent states.
• Federation: A Federation, or Federal State, is an interstellar political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing states under a central (federal) interstellar government.
• Unitary State: A Unitary State is an interstellar political entity characterized by a higher degree of centralization than a Federation, but much less than a Hegemony or Empire. Most Unitary States have a high degree of separation of powers and guiding legal and governmental documents.
• Hegemony: A Hegemony is an interstellar political entity that has established political, cultural, economic, or military predominance or control over other states.
• Empire: Empires differ from other states in that they have supreme control over other states. In the case of the Imperium, the Emperor retains the power to exert supreme control over his vassals, or the Imperial Nobility, in a system reminiscent of feudalism with some aspects of federalism.

A sixth government power structure exists, but is far less common or lasting than the primary five: Anarchy.

Comparative Government Power Structures Table

#	System (Politeia)	Centralization (Structure)	Bureaucracy (Law)	Strengths	Weaknesses	Notes
1.	Anarchy	Very low or None	No Significant Bureaucracy	Gives no one significant control	Sets insignificant or no policy	Apolitical (Unrecognized power)
2.	Confederation	Low	Very Weak Bureaucracy (Adhocracy)	Gives local/regional/planetary governments almost complete control	Sets almost no significant uniform policies	Strongly popular government (Widely distributed power)
3.	Federation	Medium	Weak Bureaucracy	Gives local/regional/planetary governments more power	Sacrifices uniformity on some issues	Popular government (Distributed power)
4.	Unitary State	High	Strong Bureaucracy	Sets uniform policies that direct the entire sector/state	Disregards local/planetary differences	Meso-government (Balanced power)
5.	Hegemony	Very High	Very Strong Bureaucracy	Directs strong policies that direct the entire sector/state	Strongly disregards local/planetary differences	Republican government (Concentrated power)
6.	Empire	Supreme	Supreme Bureaucracy	Dictates supreme policies that direct the entire sector/state	Supremely disregards or outright ignores local/planetary differences	Strongly republican government (Strongly concentrated power)

Please note that the Power Structures Table refers to bureacracy only in the sense of the effectiveness of control the bureaucracy has over the governed on a whole government level.

• The bureaucracies of less-centralized states can be just as onerous as the bureaucracies or more centralized and effective states. Less-centralized bureaucracies tend to be less effective and easier to influence (...including graft and bribes).
• The bureaucracies of more-centralized states tend to wield punishment and violence more often, incurring higher costs for those who break the rules. This doesn't necessarily make bribes or graft less common, but the higher opportunity costs of such actions does make the bureaucracies of more-centralized states more difficult to influence. No sophont administrator wants to take chance of losing their head (...or other vital appendage) over a petty bribe.
• Please see Law level for more information.

Government Power Sources

There are at least six major power source types (...as well as some other lesser-encountered or minor possibilities), found amongst the governments of Charted Space:

• 1. Chaos (Barbarism: Government by no one: No State): No one in control without other social mechanisms to encourage order.
  • Barbarism (Chaos)

• 2. Autocratic States (Autocracy: Government by very few Sophonts):
  • Autocracy (Supreme power is concentrated in the hands of one person)
  • Constitutional Tyranny (An absolute ruler enabled by law or constitution)
  • Despotism (A single entity rules with absolute power)
  • Dictatorship (Political authority is monopolized by a single person or political entity)
  • Fascism (A form of radical authoritarian nationalism)
  • Totalitarianism (The state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever possible)
  • And other forms

• 3. Oligarchical States (Oligarchy: Government by small groups of Sophonts):
  • Aristocracy
  • Bureaucracy
  • Diarohy
  • Feudalism
  • Military Junta
  • Monarchy
  • Plutocracy
  • Stratocracy
  • Technocracy
  • T.E.D. (Technologically Elevated Dictator)
  • Theocracy
  • Timocracy
  • Triarchy
  • And other forms

• 4. Republican States (Republic: Government by Representatives of Sophonts):
  • Democratic Republic
  • Limited Monarchy (Parliamentary Democracy)
  • And other forms

• 5. Democratic States (Democracy: Government by large groups of Sophonts: Populist):
  • Collegial Democracy
  • Direct Democracy or Pure Democracy (A form of democracy in which people decide policy directly)
  • Electronic Democracy or Internet Democracy or E-Democracy (A form of democracy that uses advanced communications technology to encourage direct policy decisions from a populace)
  • Ochlocracy
  • Polyarchy
  • Representative Democracy or Indirect Democracy (A variety of democracy founded on the principle of elected officials representing a group of people)
  • Stochocracy
  • And other forms

• 6. Pantocratic States (Pantocracy: Government by Everyone: Anarchy):
  • Organized Anarchy
  • Sociocracy
  • And other forms

• 7. Other Types of States (Government by specialized groups of Sophonts) Many classify these other kinds of states as just another type of oligarchy:
  • Anocracy
  • Kritarchy
  • Particracy
  • And other forms

Comparative Government Power Sources Table

Power Source / Govt. Type	Leaders (Quantity)	Power Distribution	Power Characteristic
1. Chaos	None	None	Chaos (Barbarism)
2. Autocracy	Very few	Very Low	Authoritarian (Supremacist)
3. Oligarchy	Few	Low	Authoritarian (Elitist)
4. Republicanism	Some	Moderate	Representative (Elective Representation)
5. Democracy	Many	High	Representative (Elective Populism)
6. Pantocracy	Most (Very Many)	Very High	Populist (Anarchy)
7. Other Power Sources	Various	Various	Populist (Chosen Groups)

History & Background (Dossier)

No information yet available.

Standard Codes & Descriptions

The Imperium uses a standardized system of government codes referred to as the UWP (Universal World Profile) System. These codes are most useful when used to describe worlds presided over by members of Humaniti or sophonts with similar psychologies.

General Government Codes & Descriptions

Worlds inhabited by Humaniti or non-Human Sophonts similar to Humaniti are generally classified with the following codes:

Government Codes

Code	Name	Description	Power Source	Power Structure
0	No Government Structure.	In many cases, tribal, clan or family bonds predominate	(Pantocracy or Chaos)	Confederation (Anarchy)
1	Company/Corporation.	Government by a company managerial elite, citizens are company employees.	(Oligarchy)	Hegemony
2	Participating Democracy.	Government by advice and consent of the citizen.	(Democracy)	Unitary State
3	Self-Perpetuatlng Oligarchy.	Government by a restricted minority, with little or no input from the masses.	(Oligarchy)	Hegemony
4	Representative Democracy.	Government by elected representatives.	(Republicanism)	Unitary State
5	Feudal Technocracy.	Government by specific individuals for those who agree to be ruled. Relationships are based on the performance of technical activities which are mutually-beneficial.	(Oligarchy)	Hegemony
6	Captive Government/Colony.	Government by a leadership answerable to an outside group, a colony or conquered area.	(Vassal State)	Federation
7	Balkanization.	No central ruling authority exists. Rival governments compete for control.	(Balkanization)	Confederation (Anarchy)
8	Civil Service Bureaucracy.	Government by agencies employing individuals selected for their expertise.	(Oligarchy)	Unitary State
9	Impersonal Bureaucracy.	Government by agencies which are insulated from the governed.	(Oligarchy)	Hegemony
A (10)	Charismatic Dictator.	Government by a single leader enjoying the confidence of the citizens.	(Popular Autocracy)	Empire
B (11)	Non-Charismatic Leader.	A previous charismatic dictator has been replaced by a leader through normal channels.	(Un-popular Autocracy)	Empire
C (12)	Charismatic Oligarchy.	Government by a select group, organization, or class enjoying overwhelming confidence of the citizenry.	(Popular Oligarchy)	Hegemony
D (13)	Religious Dictatorship.	Government by a religious minority which has little regard for the needs of the citizenry.	(Un-popular Autocracy)	Empire
E (14)	Religious Autocracy.	Government by a single religious leader having absolute power over the citizenry.	(Supreme Autocracy)	Empire
F (15)	Totalitarian Oligarchy.	Government by an all-powerful minority which maintains absolute control through widespread coercion and oppression	(Supreme Oligarchy)	Empire

Code 7 Balkanization: Balkanization is a special result which indicates that there is no world government; instead several rival territorial governments exist. In such cases, the specific qualities of each territory on the planet should be separately listed.

Code 6 Captive Government / Colony (Subordinate Government) & Codes (0, 1, 2 & 3): Subordinate Government are non-sovereign (...or semi-sovereign) governments on other planets within a system. These governments are usually code 0,1,2,3 or 6.

Standard Codes & Descriptions for non-Human Sophonts

However, the Imperial UWP Government Codes do not adequately describe the world of sophonts with radically-different psychologies and mindsets. So, alternate sytem and codes were created for sophonts with different mindset and methods of governance.

Aslan Governments

In human terms, all Aslan worlds have a feudal form of government. Thus, one of several normal governmental codes might be assigned by humans to various Aslan planets (0, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, and C are all applicable), and these codes might be found in a human catalog of world types.

Kusyu, the Aslan homeworld, is often assigned a government type 8 in this fashion.

Some UWP descriptions use the following codes to refine Aslan-dominated worlds:

Aslan Government Codes

Code	Name	Power Structure	Size	Description
G	Small Station Holding	(Non-sovereign Entity)	Subplanetary (Tiny to Very Small)	Non-sovereign Aslan goverment type. Either operated by an off-world clan or controlled by an Aslan company (the only instance where a world is controlled by anything but a clan)
H	Split-control State	(Balkanized World)	Subplanetary (Very Small)	Semi-sovereign Aslan goverment type. Different parts of the world are owned by several on-planet clans. An analogy to human balkanized worlds.
J	Single On-world Clan Control	(Federalized Unitary State)	Planetary (Small)	Sovereign Aslan goverment type. Other small clans may also be present, but they will be dominated by the major clan.
K	Single Multi-world Clan Control	(Confederation)	Multi-system (Large)	Sovereign Aslan goverment type. The world is controlled by a single clan whose span extends over several worlds, not necessarily nearby.
L	Major Clan Control	(Confederation)	Multi-system (Very Large)	Sovereign Aslan goverment type. The world is controlled by one of the Tlaukhu.
M	Vassal Clan Control	(Vassal State)	Multi-system (Large)	Semi-sovereign Aslan goverment type. The world is controlled, but not owned, by a vassal clan in fief to a larger clan.
N	Major Vassal Clan Control	(Vassal State)	Multi-system (Very Large)	Semi-sovereign Aslan goverment type. The world is controlled, but not owned by a vassal clan in fief to one of the clans in the Tlaukhu.

For more information on the forms of governments used in the Aslan Hierate, please see Aslan (government).

Droyne Governments

Due to the biological caste nature of the Droyne, independent Droyne worlds essential have one underlying government type: Droyne Hierachy. When balkanized worlds are found containing Droyne, each and every Droyne territory is a Droyne Hierachy type government:

Droyne Government Codes

Code	Name	Power Structure	Size	Description
X	Droyne Hierarchy	(Psionic Hegemony)	Subplanetary (Tiny) to Multi-system (Very Large)	Established communities are ruled by hereditary and long-established governments

For information on the nature of Droyne Hierarchies, please see Droyne.

Hiver Governments

Hiver Governments include:

Hiver Government Codes

Code	Name	Power Structure	Size	Description
S	Sept	(Pure Anarchy or Sociocracy)	Subplanetary (Tiny to Very Small)	Hiver Septs are an extremely chaotic form of anarchy, but rarely experience significant political disorder or lawlessness, in as much as any Hiver society really exhibits any form of the "rule of law."
T	Unsupervised Anarchy	(Anarchical Pantocracy)	Planetary (Small)	Hiver pantocracy bears some similarities to a barely-regulated participatory democracy.
U	Supervised Anarchy	(Anarchical Pantocracy)	Planetary (Small) to Multi-system (Large)	Hiver pantocracy bears some similarities to somewhat-regulated participatory democracy.
W	Committee	(Anarchical Confederation)	Multi-system (Large to Very Large)	Large-scale Hiver pantocracy bears some similarities to a confederation.

For information on the forms of governments used in the Hive Federation, please see Hiver (government).

K'Kree Governments

From the human point of view, the K'kree have little in the way of a government structure. K'kree governments tend to be hegemonic in nature or vassal states of the Two Thousand Worlds hegemony.

Most K'kree worlds are given a government rating of [Code-0 (zero): No Government Structure] using the Imperial UWP system.

Some UWP catalogs use more specific codes:

K'kree Government Codes

Code	Name	Power Structure	Size	Description
P	K'kree Family Holding	(Non-sovereign Entity)	Subplanetary (Tiny to Very Small)	A non or semi-sovereign polity consisting of a small station or facility maintained for the good of an extended K'kree family.
Q	K'kree Weak Herd Holding	(Vassal State)	Planetary (Small)	A balkanized polity ruled by a Krurruna or a group of Krumunak answerable to an offworld Steppelord.
R	K'kree Strong Herd Holding	(Hegemonic State)	Planetary (Small)	A sovereign polity ruled by a Steppelord on-planet.

For information on the forms of governments used in the Two Thousand Worlds, please see K'Kree (government).

Other Standards

In source information of from other eras of history, other government codes and types have been used.

Era: The New Era UWP Extensions

Standard Government 0 thru F were kept, but the following were introduced in The New Era to reflect the changed nature of Charted Space. UWP catalogs contain the following additional codes:

New Era Government Codes

Code	Name	Power Structure	Size	Description
M	Military Dictatorship	(Autocratic Junta)	Subplanetary (Very Small) to Planetary (Small)	Government by the military (armed forces) as an interim survival measure or result of a "Coup".
Q	Interim Government	(Temporary Chaos)	Planetary (Small)	The world is ruled by a temporary government (...which may have been in power for some time).
S	Slave World	(Vassal State)	Planetary (Small)	The world’s government is ineffectual or non-existent (i.e. not sovereign). The populace survives by offering tribute or slaves to an outside power (often Vampire ships) which does not care to rule the world directly.
T	T.E.D.	(Technological Autocracy)	Planetary (Small)	T.E.D.: (Technologically Elevated Dictator). A leader or small group holds power through the use of relic technology. T.E.D.s are sometimes refered to as "(Autocratic) Technocracies".
V	Viral Hell	(Virus Vassal State)	Planetary (Small) to Multi-system (Very Large)	The world is run by malevolent "Viral Entities", ether openly or through a Quisling (manipulated) government.

Era: The New Era UWP Additions

Additional Codes were introduced for specific regions. The same code (N) is used in two different regions to represent two different government types. In at least one case (M), the regional code conflicts with the general government code:

Spinward States can be found in the Spinward Marches, Trojan Reach, Deneb, or Reft Sectors.

New Era Government Codes

Code	Region	Name	Power Structure	Size	Description
G	Spinward State	Small Station Holding	(Non-sovereign Entity)	Subplanetary (Tiny)	Non-sovereign Aslan goverment type.
H	Spinward State	Split Clan (Balkanized)	(Balkanized World)	Subplanetary (Very Small)	Semi-sovereign Aslan goverment type.
J	Spinward State	Single World Clan	(Federalized Unitary State)	Planetary (Small)	Sovereign Aslan goverment type.
K	Spinward State	Multi-world Clan	(Confederation)	Multi-system (Large)	Sovereign Aslan goverment type.
L	Spinward State	Major Multi-world Clan	(Confederation)	Multi-system (Very Large)	Sovereign Aslan goverment type.
M	Spinward State	Vassal Clan	(Vassal State)	Multi-system (Large)	Semi-sovereign Aslan goverment type.
N	Spinward State	Major (Multi-world) Vassal Clan	(Vassal State)	Multi-system (Very Large)	Semi-sovereign Aslan goverment type.
N	Fourth Imperium	Noble House	(Feudal Confederation) to (Empire: Absolute Monarchy)	Planetary (Small) to Multi-system (Large)	Sovereign government type dominated by Humans. Noble Houses rule Imperial worlds directly. The 'ruling' noble may be an absolute leader or the head of state for a civil government.

Note: Fourth Imperium Nobility may consist of sophonts other than the races of Humaniti. Aslan, Vargr, Bwaps, and many other species of sophonts have served under the Fourth Imperium as Nobles.

References & Contributors

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Classic Traveller Alien Module 1: Aslan
• Classic Traveller Alien Module 2: K'kree
• Classic Traveller Alien Module 5: Droyne
• Classic Traveller Book 6: Scouts
• Classic Traveller Supplement 8 Library Data (A-M)
• Classic Traveller The Traveller Book
• MegaTraveller Imperial Encyclopedia
• MegaTraveller Referee's Manual
• TNE Traveller: The New Era Main Rulebook (pg. 191)
• Periodical: Traveller Chronicle 5 'House Rules'
• New Era 1248 Sourcebook 1: Out Of The Darkness
• New Era 1248 Sourcebook 2: Bearers of the Flame
• New Era 1248 Sourcebook 3: Spinward States
• Author & Contributor: Lord and Master of Sophontology (Marquis) Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science
• Author & Contributor: Nathan Brazil