World government in science fiction

In both science fiction and utopian/dystopian fiction, authors have made frequent use of the age-old idea of a global state and, accordingly, of world government.

Overview

In tune with Immanuel Kant's vision of a world state based on the voluntary political union of all countries of this planet in order to avoid colonialism and in particular any future war ("Idee zu einer allgemeinen Geschichte in weltbürgerlicher Absicht", 1784; "Zum ewigen Frieden", 1795), some of these scenarios depict an egalitarian and environmentally sustainable world supervised (rather than controlled) by a benevolent (and usually democratic) world government. Others, however, describe the effects of a totalitarian regime which, after having seized power in one country, annexes the rest of the world in order to dominate and oppress all humankind.

One major influence was Edward Bellamy's "Looking Backward". The best-known advocate of world government was H. G. Wells. He describes such a system in "The Shape of Things to Come", "Men Like Gods" and "The World Set Free".

Some writers have also parodied the idea: E. M. Forster's "The Machine Stops" (1909) and Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel "Brave New World". Wells himself wrote "The Sleeper Awakes", an early vision of a dystopian world.

World government themes in science fiction are particularly prominent in the years following World War II, coincident with the involvement of many scientists in the actual political movement for world government in response to the perceived dangers of nuclear holocaust. Prominent examples from the Cold War era include "Childhood's End" (1953), "Starship Troopers" (1959), "Star Trek" (from 1966) and the "Doctor Who" story "The Enemy of the World" (1968). Later references to a unified world government also appear however in post-Cold War science fiction television series such as "Babylon 5".

The concept also appears frequently in science fiction anime, whether in the form of a strengthened United Nations or an entirely new organizations with world presidential election. Examples of anime with this premise are "Macross" (adapted in America as the first part of Robotech) and "Gundam".

For there to be a President of Earth, obviously the World Federalist Movement would have to eventually succeed in taking over the world.

President of Earth

President of Earth is a fictional concept or character who is the ruler of the planet Earth. Examples include:

* President Thawne (grandfather of Bart Allen) the DC comic character who made his first appearance in "Impulse #25, May 1997".cite web | last = Kelson Vibber | title = President Thawne | date= November 15, 2004 | url = http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/pres-thawne.html | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-11-12 ]

* A poem "The President of Earth" by Author David Kennedy (b1959) in a book with the same title,cite web | title = David Kennedy; The President of Earth | work = Book Review | publisher = | date= 3 November 2007 | url = http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/smp/1876857102.htm | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-11-12 ] cite book | last = Kennedy | first = David | title = The President of Earth: New and Selected Poems | publisher = Salt Publishing | date= 2002 | location = | pages = | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=5ZNoYhM7k5oC&dq=%22president+of+earth%22+-wikipedia | doi = | id = ISBN 1876857102 ]

* An occupation in many Star Trek story lines including Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Countrycite web | title = Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country | work = (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition) (1991) | publisher = | date= 1991 | url = http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-VI-Undiscovered-Collectors/dp/B0000UJL96 | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-11-12 ]

* A fictional character in a fictional universe in The Adventures of Captain Proton holoprogram on USS Voyager's holodeckcite web | title = President of Earth | work = From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference | publisher = memory-alpha.org | date= 24 September 2007 | url = http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/President_of_Earth | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-11-12 ]

* A fictional character in "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons", the World President is targeted for assination by the Mysterons in the Pilot episode.

* In the 1968 film Barbarella, Barbarella is sent out by the President of Earth.

* In "Futurama", based in the 31st century, the position of President of Earth is held by Richard Nixon's Head,cite book| last=Booker| first=M. Keith |title=Drawn to Television: Prime-Time Animation from The Flintstones to Family Guy] preceded by "Earth President McNeal".

* In "Scorpius (Doctor Who audio)", "the president of Earth must think the unthinkable..."

* In "", the president of Earth orders all available ships to form a line around the planet in a vain attempt to stave off the final Minbari obliteration of the human race. This, the Battle of the Line, is the final battle of the war.

* Jacques Foccart, the second Invisible Kid, went on to serve as President of Earth in DC Comics.

World governmental organizations in fiction and popular culture

* Three rival world governments are featured in the dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty Four" by George Orwell.
* Global Defence Initiative (a powerful military branch of the UN) in the "Command & Conquer" series of video games.
* The Confederation in Peter F Hamilton's "Night's Dawn Trilogy" (or more specifically GovCentral and most planetary governments, some even stretch across multiple systems).
* The Imperium in "Warhammer 40000" is a large sprawling empire spanning many planets.
* The United Earth Government (the root of the United Nations Space Command) in "Halo" is an interplanetary government.
* The United Earth Federation in the video game "Supreme Commander" is a Martial Government that rules all of Earth and several other planets in the galaxy.
* The United States of Earth is the fictional world government in the animated science-fiction comedy series "Futurama". It is also supported by D.O.O.P., an interplanetary equivalent to the United Nations.
* The United Earth Directorate from the "Starcraft" series is a government controlling Earth. Meanwhile, the Terran Confederacy and later the Terran Dominion control a number of the other planets that humans inhabit.
* United Earth is the governing body of Earth in the "Star Trek" franchise. It was formed after Earth made first contact with Vulcans and was later a political subdivision of the United Federation of Planets.
* World Government in the Japanese manga and anime series "One Piece".
* In Eoin Colfer's "The Supernaturalist", it is stated that all international boundaries were erased in a "one world" act.
* The Earth Alliance in "Babylon 5" was founded in 2085 as a democracy, and conquered most nations who refused to join by 2150.
* The Earth Federation in the "Gundam" anime series, formed as a response to widespread famine, disease and war. It forced most of the earth population into space colonies.
* The Terran Confederation in the "Wing Commander" universe, is a federal republic formed in 2416.
* The Terran Federation in Robert A. Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", formed by a group of veterans after the collapse of national governments around the world. Only those who have served in the military are allowed to vote.
* In "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, the United Nations is a world government, who carefully controls food resources and officially endorses homosexuality to control overpopulation.
* The Alliance in the "Firefly" universe is a result of a Chinese and American alliance.
* The CoDominium, from the "CoDominium" series by Jerry Pournelle is a union of the United States and the USSR which serves as world government.
* In Gerry Anderson's tv series Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Joe 90, Feature the World Army, the World Navy and the World Air Force, also the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (The W.A.S.P'S), the World Space Patrol (W.S.P) and Universal Secret Service (U.S.S). All run by a World Government (overseen by a world President) located in the world capital Futura City.

See also

* World government

References