Space colony and 18-19 century independence movement

[Sumonious]

It's obviously too soon to discuss such a far-fetched matter such as space colonization. We probably won't have any extra terrestrial permanent base until hundreds of year into the future. But for the sake of argument, let pretend YOUR country has long established a series of self-sustained colonies. Also, those colony holds valuable resources that are rare to earth and provides your country with cutting edge position in technology and economy.

Now, due to a series of bizarre incompetence of your government, the relationship between your country and the colonies is in dire strain. Some colonies have outright ceded them self from home country and declared independence. Other great powers have not showed any sight of supporting the independence movement since they have colonies of their own, but if it keeps go on like this there are no promise some of them might twist this event to suit their desire. The government are calling for a swift military intervention to end this political disaster but they need your vote to authorise the invasion. So, what are you going to vote?


Edit: Condottiere 40k just gave me an idea. Before you vote, consider that other colonies and nations are watching at this very moment. This could be a spark of a first intergalactic planetary war in human history. Also, the successful established first non-terra state could turn into either a belligerent US-like nation or a fascist state like the Hegast from Killzone series.

[Condottiere 40K]

We already have the necessary intervention programme in place:


edited: problem with the original jpg

[Sumonious]

We already have the necessary intervention programme in place:

Really? Do you mean the US or Russia already have protocol to deal with such situation or do you refer to historical events?

Edit: I see your image now . But regardless of whatever the colonies have giant mobile suit or not, will you support them?

[Condottiere 40K]

I vote yes - we need more material for war stories.

[Their Law]

Independence, though my precise view would depend on the context of the conflict.

Though to be honest in this theoretical situation, I'd doubt territories on other planets would be inferior legal status to the home territories. It's likely that they would have some form of autonomy already in place.

In fact I'm not even sure using colonisation of America as a template is a good idea, I'd see interplanetary colonisation being made either by the planet as a whole, or by groups of states working in tandem, rather than in the context of competing regional powers.

[Sumonious]

I vote yes - we need more material for war stories.

You didn't mean No, did you? Voting yes means that the government will be powerless to stop them. Or do you mean that regardless of your vote, sooner or later other great powers and colonies will get into a war meaning intergalactic war between earth and colony are inevitable?

Independence, though my precise view would depend on the context of the conflict.

Though to be honest in this theoretical situation, I'd doubt territories on other planets would be inferior legal status to the home territories. It's likely that they would have some form of autonomy already in place.

In fact I'm not even sure using colonisation of America as a template is a good idea, I'd see interplanetary colonisation being made either by the planet as a whole, or by groups of states working in tandem, rather than in the context of competing regional powers.

Well, I do not believe nation would easily grant a colony autonomy by default since they invest billions to get them(the colonists) here in the first place after all.

About the matter of whether the colonies are the joint-effort of international movement or the result of separate individual space-exploring cable power, I think the context is the same. Although, I believe things would be similar to what happened in 17, 18 century, a free-for-all (great power).

[Azog 150]

I wouldn't vote for military action as it would ultimately be unsustainable, just like how trying to fight wars against independence on other continents was back in the day

I would seek some kind of compromise in the form of Home Rule for the planetary colonies, but maintaining a political link to here. Best of both worlds for everyone involved really.

Failing that, I would support giving each planetary colony a referendum; Independence, Home Rule or Status Quo

If the rebels got too greedy and refused even that- well, military force it is.



Their Law makes a good point though

[NotYetRegistered]

Space Soekarno.

Meh, if they want independance they should have it.

[Cat-astrophic]

Why crush the rebellion of course

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

On a serious note it's probably going to follow the same dynamics of Earth's International Relations, with the added complexity of distance and bigger conflict scale. So it's going to depend on each specific situation.

[Sumonious]

Why crush the rebellion of course

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

On a serious note it's probably going to follow the same dynamics of Earth's International Relations, with the added complexity of distance and bigger conflict scale. So it's going to depend on each specific situation.

Add to the complexity is the fact that future great powers probably colonize the same planet. So we probably won't have a consistent sovereign of the whole planet. Also, no planet killer or you will piss other great powers off by destroying their colonies in the crossfire .

[Cat-astrophic]

Also, no planet killer or you will piss other great powers off by destroying their colonies in the crossfire .

[Azog 150]

Space Soekarno.

Meh, if they want independance they should have it.

And how can it be judged if that is their wish without a free and fair referendum?

[NotYetRegistered]

And how can it be judged if that is their wish without a free and fair referendum?

When did I say that I thought their wish for independance shouldn't be judged by a referendum?

[ShockBlast]

We can deply Holy Terra's Space Marines to perform an Exterminus .... or try paceful means.

[Treize]

Space Soekarno.

KILLKILLKILL!!!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Jaketh]

The Imperium would not tolerate any dissention among its colonies. Any such independence movement would be met with Exterminatus

[Tiwaz]

The Imperium would not tolerate any dissention among its colonies. Any such independence movement would be met with Exterminatus

Nah.
Imperium would just send few billion guardsmen and perhaps some marines to remind of where loyalty of colonies actually lies.

[antred]

As Azog 150 has said in a previous post in this thread, military action against a deep-seated desire for independence would be every bit as fruitless as it was in previous centuries ... and quite possibly a fair bit more disastrous for all involved parties. You might not particularly cherish the idea, but if a part of your country has made up its mind that it would rather go its own ways there's really nothing much you can realistically do about it, so you might as well grant them their wish. In the long run it's far better to have a friend and ally, who will be grateful to you for granting them their legitimate wish, than a sworn enemy who will never forget that you tried to suppress their independence.

[Enemy of the State]

Central planning is impossible enough as it is. The conditions on other planets will be so different that bureaucrats on earth won't have a clue on how to manage life there. It's pretty much inevitable that such colonies would gain independence.

[Menelik_I]

Central planning is impossible enough as it is. The conditions on other planets will be so different that bureaucrats on earth won't have a clue on how to manage life there. It's pretty much inevitable that such colonies would gain independence.

What is even funnier is that they assume that the colonies will be set by governments.

I do believe that space will occur like in Escape From Terra, with waves and waves of refugees escaping earth to work and strife in asteroids and mars. The free market will conquer space.

It is a great a great comic and gives an alternative vision of the ''Star Trek like'' global government vision of space colonization.