Declaration of Sophont Rights.

[mancerbear]

So I was having a think on what a Declaration of Sophont Rights would look like in the Imperium, and using the UN Declaration of Human Rights I've come up with this. Would love some discussion.

The Declaration consists of a preamble and thirty articles:

The preamble sets out the historical and social causes that led to the necessity of drafting the Declaration.

Articles 1—2 established the basic concepts of dignity, liberty, equality, and brotherhood.

Articles 3—11 established other individual rights, such as the right to life and the prohibition of slavery.

Articles 6—11 refer to the fundamental legality of human rights with specific remedies cited for their defence when violated.

Articles 12–17 established the rights of the individual towards the community (including such things as freedom of movement).

Articles 18–21 sanctioned the so-called "constitutional liberties", and with spiritual, public, and political freedoms, such as freedom of thought, opinion, religion and conscience, word, and peaceful association of the individual.

Articles 22–27 sanctioned an individual's economic, social and cultural rights, including healthcare.

Article 25 states: "Every Sophont has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and of their family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services." It also makes additional accommodations for security in case of physical debilitation or disability, and makes special mention of care given to those in motherhood or childhood.

Articles 28—30 established the general ways of using these rights, the areas in which these rights of the individual can not be applied, and that they can not be overcome against the individual.
These articles are concerned with the duty of the individual to society and the prohibition of use of rights in contravention of the purposes of the Third Imperium.

So it's a start anyway...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I think most of this is outside the Imperium's jurisdiction.

The Imperium regulates safe interstellar trade, no slavery, no weapons of mass destruction, and that's about it. Oppressing the population or not is up to the member governments.

 

[mancerbear]

I think most of this is outside the Imperium's jurisdiction.

The Imperium regulates safe interstellar trade, no slavery, no weapons of mass destruction, and that's about it. Oppressing the population or not is up to the member governments.

Though The Warrent of Restoration hints at at least something like a Charter of Sophone Rights in the preamble...

"...the Individual Pursuit of Personal Betterment, and the Collective Pursuit of Community Good..."

Hence my post. I'll grant you that the first draft may be too restrictive, so it would be great to see if we can come back up with something that works.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I suspect that there is the LAW - which this may be and all signatories to the Imperial Charter agree to. But ther e is also the REALITY, which is that the current Imperium doesn't care very much unless the media gets ahold of it or things get REALLY bad.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

After a minimum amount of reflection, I would not want something like this.

Traveller worlds should be different, not just a series of interchangeable copies.

 

[Condottiere]

Since the Imperium gives planets a great deal of autonomy, I think they'd be less concerned with individual rights, and more that of groupings, in that you can't commit genocide out of hand, and the rights of those in Imperium service.

 

[steve98052]

The Imperium might have such a doctrine (such as a template document, or an agreement widely adopted by freedom loving member worlds), and generally encourage its use on Imperial worlds, but it's clearly not Imperial policy to impose such rules on member worlds. There are very few Imperial rules that are strongly enforced.
- no weapons of mass destruction
- no pocket empires
- no slavery (though the line between prison labor, indenture, etc. and slavery can be fuzzy)
- worlds need to pay their taxes
- don't mess with business much

Of those, the only one that applies to individuals is the prohibition on slavery. The Imperium doesn't have the political infrastructure to go much further than that.

 

[Sigtrygg]

And just about every one of those rules is broken...

- no weapons of mass destruction - apart from every starship being a weapon of mass destruction
- no pocket empires - apart from Antares and the Vegans.
- no slavery (though the line between prison labor, indenture, etc. and slavery can be fuzzy) - don't even need to reply to this one
- worlds need to pay their taxes - may explain some red zoned worlds.
- don't mess with business much - apart from tradewars between corporations.

 

[Condottiere]

The worlds of the Vegan Autonomous District are under a single, centralized government, in which a vigorous civil service, chosen by meritocratic methods, maintains power.
The Vegan Autonomous District, dominated by the Third Imperium, was preceded by the Vegan Polity, a government dominated by the Rule of Man or Second Imperium.
The Vegan Autonomous District is:
A government for Vegans
A government of the Vegans
A government by the Third Imperium

After the pyrrhic victory over the Solomani at Terra in 1002, the Imperium found that it could not completely conquer and absorb the Solomani Sphere.
The Imperial high command decided to create the Vegan Autonomous District to act as a counterweight to the remnants of the Solomani Confederation. The Vegans have complete internal control over their district, but free passage is guaranteed for Imperial citizens and goods.
Although many factors have contributed to the present peace and stability along the Solomani Rim, it cannot be denied that the creation of the Vegan Autonomous District has achieved its original purpose.

What does that tell us?

It exists directly by the grace of the Third Imperium, and it's primary purpose is to serve as a buffer, which usually exist along borders, rather than interiors.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

The Imperium reserves to itself the power to create as it sees fit Governmental Entities superior to the member worlds but subordinate to the Imperium. This shall include the power to abolish said entities as the Imperium sees fit.
http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Warrant_of_Restoration

Pocket Empires can exist, but only by Imperial grace.

My interpretation: member worlds are not permitted to conquer other member worlds.


The Emperor, of course, does whatever he wants:

Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in this document or in subsequent Imperial actions, the Imperium, for the purpose of ensuring its continued safety and stability, reserves to itself the power to unilaterally enact changes in any or all aspects of the relationship between itself and any member world or citizen.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Member worlds do conquer member worlds, that is what government code 6 in CT was for...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Member worlds do conquer member worlds, that is what government code 6 in CT was for...

Worlds may set up colonies, which can result in Gov 6.
Corporations may set up colonies, which can result in Gov 6.
Worlds can dominate, without formally owning, another world, which can result in Gov 6.
Worlds may be given another world to administer by the Imperium, which can result in Gov 6.

Only the Emperor can create interstellar governing entities within the Imperium.


Note that even the Imperial Rules of War disallows conquest:

The lmperium tolerates the use of force as a necessary outlet for built-up political and social pressures beyond the opponents' abilty to mediate. A short war is deemed preferable to continuing tension, sabotage, political agitation, etc. However, attempts by extra-planetary forces to seize control of a world's affairs are beyond the scope of the "safety valve" rationale.

 

[Sigtrygg]

The Adventure Broadsword has a member world attacking its former colony with the Imperium turning a blind eye...

 

[Condottiere]

Treaty of Versailles outcome, the loser gives up colonies and possibly mineral concessions.

Plus restrictions on military forces and war reparations.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

The Adventure Broadsword has a member world attacking its former colony with the Imperium turning a blind eye...

No, Garda-Vilis is a colony with a rebel movement. The Vilis government is only trying to hold on to their colony that they have ruled for over 1000 years.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Pocket empires aren't allowed, they shouldn't have a colony world.

As soon as the colony wants self determination and petitions the Imperium for membership the Imperium should intervene, it doesn't. It turns a blind eye and allows one planet to send mercs to attack another - common practice in the frontier sectors of the Imperium according to LBB:4 Mercenary.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Pocket empires aren't allowed, they shouldn't have a colony world.

The Imperium reserves to itself the power to create as it sees fit Governmental Entities superior to the member worlds but subordinate to the Imperium. This shall include the power to abolish said entities as the Imperium sees fit.

Garda-Vilis has been a colony of Vilis since before the Third Imperium was founded. Apparently Vilis was accepted into the Imperium as a multi-planet member.