As the second installment in the Planets series, this article seeks to address the various forms of government found across colonized space. Although each state has it's own unique form of government, quite often there is some variation within the state as to how each individual planet is governed. Many factors can lead to planetary governments a single jump apart being vastly different.
Ultimately the first and last form of "government." Anarchy is characterized by a total lack of a governing body. Often the law is only what you can enforce yourself. Violators will not be prosecuted. This government is sometimes found in the periphery, where the population is either too small or too independent to warrant the actual rule of law. It is also found on planets ravaged by revolution, natural disaster, or invasion. Some consider it a utopian advance where mankind enjoys total freedom. Examples include the American Frontier of the 1800's and the French Revolution.
Sometimes used interchangeably with Dictatorship, an Autocracy is a simple form of government where one person rules. The leader may come to power through military means or even popular election. In some forms, there is also a governing council of some form, but the ultimate power resides in the singular leader (or at least appears to). Autocracy is common throughout colonized space. Examples include Cuba and Iraq.
Technically, there is no government in a Communist system. All things are shared, including power. True communism is typically limited to small religious communities, as larger less committed groups will need a government to distribute goods and enforce participation. The more extreme versions of communism entirely do away with the concept of private property. Children, mates, and possessions belong to the commune as a whole. Examples include monasteries and some early American Colonial experiments.
Democracy is either a stand-alone government or a variation on some other form of government. As it's own government, democracy is where the population votes on all decisions that face the group. This is extremely impractical for large groups, however. Thus, democracy is often used to elect a single ruler or a group or representatives. Democracy is common in the Free Worlds League, and sometimes found in the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth. Examples include settlements run by town meetings.
A Fascist government combines the elements of an Autocracy with the social manipulations of Socialism and typically suppresses any dissenting views all to greater further the glory of the people or of the state. The state itself is considered the focus of the government, and anything is justified to keep the state strong. Socialism is common in both the Capellan Confederation and the Draconis Combine. Examples include 1940's Germany and 1940's Italy.
Feudalism is typically a system where a vassal owes allegiance to a liege and offers support of arms and goods in exchange for protection within the realm. Within this agreement, the vassal has great latitude in ruling his vassals so long as his obligations are kept. Feudalism is common throughout colonized space. Examples include medieval France and Spain.
Martial Law is rule enforced by the military and usually using military codes and laws (hence the name). It is found where the civil government can no longer rule, where the military has recently had a successful coup, or in occupied territories. In some rare cases an entire military state can evolve where citizen soldiers hold political power. Martial Law is common among the clans and in the Draconis Combine and Capellan Confederation. Examples include post-WWII Japan and Sparta.
Monarchies have a hereditary ruler who possesses varying levels of power. Some are absolute, while others rule with a council and still others are merely figureheads for a larger governing body. In some cases, the monarch also claims "divine right" or that he rules by the will of God. Monarchies are common throughout colonized space. Examples include Great Britain and Morocco.
A Plutocracy is run by a governing class of the wealthy. A mildly Plutocratic government may require a minimum wealth in order to vote, while heavily plutocratic governments may be ruled by a council of the wealthiest or even the one man who owns the most of the planet or city. Plutocracy is common in the Lyran Commonwealth and the Magistracy of Canopus.
In a Republican government, the will of the people is represented by a group of individuals who rule according to law. The level to which the representatives are accountable to the people varies from state to state. Sometimes those in power are elected, while other times they serve for life. Republics are common throughout colonized space. Examples include the United States and Athens.
Considered a transitional phase from Capitalism to Communism, a Socialist government deals primarily with control over the means of production and distribution of goods. Sometimes to further this control, the state also regulates behavior, opinions, etc. Socialism is common in the Draconis Combine and the Capellan Confederation. Examples include the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the People's Republic of China.
A theocracy is a religious state where the rulers are considered to be divinely inspired. In it's most extreme form, the ruling of the government is left to divination of the supernatural will, rather than the inspired decisions of the religious. TTheocracy is found within Comstar. Examples include Vatican City and various Papal lands in the middle ages.
Most governments borrow from several of the above forms, creating unlimited possibilities. Also, don't fall into the trap of making every planet follow the recommended mold. Throw a Federated dictator or a Free Worlds commune in the way of the players and see how they react. Have benevolent monarchs and mob-rule democracies. Just don't do it too often.
Humans are social creatures and wherever your players go they will have to deal with the ways that people "choose" to rule themselves. Type of government can affect things from whom the players need to deal with in power down to the most mundane daily laws. Remember: Variety is the spice of Battletech.