Difference between revisions of "Demographics of the Gallente Federation"

Latest revision as of 22:21, 8 November 2016

The Gallente Federation is the second most populous sovereign entity in New Eden, estimated to make up over 20% of the cluster’s population, slightly behind the Amarr Empire. The Federation is famous for its unrivalled diversity, exhibiting massive variations and minimal to no uniformity in countless areas including (but not limited to) ethnicity, culture, language, religion, and economy. The population is organized around highly populated systems and their respective peripheral territories. The Federation is notable for having highest ratio of its population living in non-standard environments such as space or other artificial habitats (a fifth of its population).

Attempting to demographically categorize the pluralistic and cosmopolitan Federation is extremely difficult, as its administrative coverage and bureaucratic reliability is one of the poorest in the cluster (only ahead of the Minmatar Republic). Moreover, the cultural variations and freedoms present in the system means that the societies of the relativistic Federation continuously defy definitions.

History

The Gallente Federation started as a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural entity from its founding in 23121AD, drawing together the races of the ethnic Gallente, Caldari, Intaki, and Mannar. Other races would join over time, though they would seldom leave their homeworlds. Significant mixing had already taken place between the ethnic Gallente and Caldari races, mostly those of the latter group who had migrated to the former’s homeworld or colonies. With the founding of the Federation, mixing between these groups with the Intaki and Mannar was accelerated, though it had already taken place to a notable degree within the previous centuries of stellar expansion.

The bulk of the Caldari population departed from the Federation following their evacuation from Caldari Prime in 23156AD after the outbreak of the war the previous year. Caldari located on the Gallente homeworld or on planets across the Federation did not, however, due to a collection of factors. Many identified as Gallente (the first widespread instance of this), while others were apathetic. The rest were simply unable to leave, either migrating to the rebelling Caldari territories later on or remaining where they were indefinitely. Whatever the case, an entrenched Caldari minority who retained their culture while holding no identity or allegiance to the State remained in the Federation, suffering some wartime persecution during the early decades of the conflict.

As the Federation continued to expand, many individuals began to migrate away from their homeworlds en masse at an accelerated pace. This was especially true of Gallente Prime, whose citizens had garnered a distrust of the Federation government following the Ultra-Nationalist regime. Worlds began to crop up with population growth metrics at a level that would put them ahead of the home planets.

Shortly before the encounter with the Amarr Empire, the spacefaring Jin-Mei nation were encountered in their home system of Mei-ha (today called Lirsautton). They were noted for being an ethnically homogeneous race that had eradicated all other competing civilizations on their homeworld. Jin-Mei who were eager to move to the Federation found themselves with low disease resistances and poor immune systems due to a lack of genetic diversity. As a consequence, many Jin-Mei began to intermingle with the Mannar or the ethnic Gallente races, diluting the already blurred racial lines of the Federation further.

The Amarr Empire was encountered in 23180AD. No major population movements took place initially, due to tight border controls. Former slaves who escaped from their Holders would flee to the Federation, though these groups were negligibly-sized at best. It wasn’t until the Gallente-Amarr Free Trade Agreement in 23210AD that the borders were opened for limited movement. Amarr missionaries would settle in the Federation, while some Gallente who felt attuned to the Amarr religion migrated to the Empire. Commoners or victims of religious persecution (such as Sani Sabik) found themselves moving to the Federation for a variety of reasons. Many retained their cultural practices and customs, some blended in completely, while others would sit anywhere in between. A very small bloc of escaped and non-enslaved Minmatar settled in the Federation, making the wider Gallente populace aware of their struggles.

After the Minmatar Rebellion and the formation of the Republic, millions of ethnic Minmatar (primarily of Brutor, Sebiestor, Krusual, and Vherokior descent) decided to use their newfound freedom to settle in the Federation instead. Previously uninhabited worlds and systems were settled en masse by freed Minmatar. Initially overwhelmed by the large influx, the Federation had to adapt its laws to clarify the rights of these immigrants, adopting practices from planetary nations that had similar regulations from older times. These Minmatar were now able to become full Federation citizens with the same rights as those born natively. Whether or not they would retain their identity and customs would vary. Over time, the amount of Minmatar living in the Federation would rival those found in the Republic.

With the founding of CONCORD in 23233AD and the end of the Gallente-Caldari War in YC12, migration into the Federation exploded, as a natural product of the new interstellar economy. The synonymy of the New Eden and Gallente entertainment industries meant citizens from all other empires were drawn to the Federation’s ideals and lifestyles. Combined with the sudden rise in peacetime mega-projects and the huge demand in labor as a result, this created the immigrant culture that the contemporary Federation is famous for. After initial tensions with a fresh influx of Caldari and Amarr immigrants, the Federation became known as the Promised Land, a land of opportunity where all could pursue their personal dreams regardless of background^[1]. Communities would crop up composed of residents from all other empires, and would show no pattern as to how they would interact with the wider Federation.

Today, the Federation has evolved to a point that almost all of New Eden can be showcased within its borders, thanks to around a century’s worth of continuous immigration that has boosted its population considerably. A brief Minmatar exodus and second mass wave of Republic immigrants in YC108^[2] abated following the Minmatar Elder attack on CONCORD two years later^[3]. Although immigration has slowed somewhat due to an increase in nationalism in all empires, refugees flocking to the Federation have become a common sight, especially with slaves that were emancipated by Amarr Empress Jamyl I at the end of YC110^[4]. That said, the state of war in New Eden is unlikely to dislodge the Gallente Federation’s status and appeal as the land of the free anytime soon.

Ethnicities

The multi-ethnic and multi-national Federation is New Eden’s leader in absolute diversity, with no group in the majority. This is widely considered one of the Federation’s foremost defining features.

Post-racialism is a founding principle of the Federation, which stipulates that grouping individuals based on ethnic origin is an outdated and anachronistic practice. The freedom of identity means that citizens are free to associate with any group of their choosing. Whenever the word ‘race’ is used when referring to the Federation, it near-exclusively refers to one’s civilization of origin, and not their appearance or genetic background. The Federation government assumes that anyone who identifies with a particular group will subscribe to the corresponding social and political trends of said group, regardless of whether or not they originate from that group. On Federal Administration census reports, ‘identity’ is asked for instead of ‘ethnicity’.

However, an individual will tend to have multiple identities according to their personal dictat. The majority will identify by their member state of birth and/or residence first and foremost. They will then have their own separate ethnic, cultural, and/or social identities. There are as many identities and combinations thereof as there are individuals in the Federation, leading to a relativistic and extremely nuanced empire where all its characteristic features are subjective in definition. This is seen by many as both a strength and weakness. A few invididuals have devoted their lives to obsessively attempt to establish objective categories to the Federation’s peoples, only to descend into mania when they realize that the lack of any government enforcement means that is an impossible feat. Whereas the governments of other empires will dictate the identities of the citizens from top-down, the democratic Federation allows itself to be dictated to in this area (despite the best efforts of more nationalistic politicians).

Below are what many call the largest ‘interstellar sociocultural categories’ of the Federation. They are mostly used at the space level between citizens from different planets, who will have never heard of one another’s respective local identities. There are countless sub-categories of each, many of which will crop up and die in a generation. The popular consensus is highly critical of attempting to define the Federation’s peoples from the top, rather than doing so via individual discretion.

Gallente

As far as the central government is concerned, every citizen within Federation borders are considered Gallente, regardless of their heritage or background. The word Gallente is a multi-national term used to group all peoples of the Federation behind one cosmopolitan identity who have consented to the union’s founding principles. Originally used to group all the races of Gallente Prime to those of the Caldari, its usage has since been expanded to the wider Federation. Though not technically a racial term, it is nonetheless used as by uninformed outsiders or conservative detractors. The fact that the term has been exported from a single planet to hundreds of others is mostly overlooked or simply not a consideration. Depending on who is asked, this is either a vehicle of cultural imperialism or a promotion of political unity.

Most citizens do not identify themselves as Gallente, as it is mostly an interstellar term. Identifying by member state of birth and/or residence is far more common. Those living in space will have greater propensity to identifying as Gallente, due to the fact that there is a very high chance they will be interacting with individuals from outside the Federation. It may be synonymous with the Federation as a whole, its central government, or its main stereotypes according to the interstellar entertainment industry. Ultimately, there is no objective definition for the word, outside of the bureaucratic necessity to differentiate Federation citizens from those of other empires.

Member races

Ethnic Gallente

For all intents and purposes, citizens who identify as ethnic Gallente are individuals who may be able to trace at least parts of their ancestry to the indigenous races of Gallente Prime. Estimates put these individuals to number around 30-35% of the Federation’s total population. However, citizens who simply call themselves as Gallente only without addressing their ethnic origin are also included in this figure. They are generally perceived to be the spiritual leaders of the Federation, despite the fact they can not be considered a single political or cultural unit.

There is no real pattern to the cultures and societies of the ethnic Gallente. Though they can all be categorized as being individualistic at their core, how this is interpreted and executed varies depending on the history, location, customs, and social mores of each constituent society. Some Gallente societies may not be individualistic at all, either groups that have not descended from Luminaire to begin with, or simply non-libertarian cultures that had migrated away from Gallente Prime. Collectivistic-leaning ethnic Gallente societies are founded on the assumption that each individual is sacrificing their personal comfort for the larger community on their own free will.

Intaki

Citizens who identify as Intaki are estimated to make up around 20% of the Federation’s population. The largest concentration of Intaki can be found within the Placid region, although their size means there are large populations all across the Federation, even making majority areas in places such as Luminaire^[5]. The Intaki are generally considered the second most influential bloc in the Federation. That said, the fragmented and counter-cohesive nature of the ethnic Gallente themselves has occasionally made the Intaki the leading force in the union.

Those who identify as Intaki are noted for being exceedingly gifted communicators^[6]. For this reason have the Intaki been able to penetrate the Federal government and administration to a prominent degree^[6]. The Intaki in these positions have a reputation for being superb diplomats, negotiators, and bureaucrats^[7], though exhibit no trends to any occupation in particular. Often, when the Federation has faced a tense political crisis, it has been the Intaki who have kept a lid on the situation. Their compatibility with and influence over the Federation means that many of the most notable Presidents have been of Intaki ancestry, such as Souro Foiritan.

The Intaki exhibit tremendous influence over the physical and literary arts in the Federation. Many existing artforms continue to be revolutionized by the Intaki, who have created new mediums such as metapaints and touch sculptures^[8]. The Intaki faith, known as the Ida, is another notable feature. A core tenet of this faith is the concept of rebirth, which has given rise to a caste of Intaki individuals known as the Reborn. These Intaki refrain from using clones, instead using unique technology that transfers the personality of a dying person to a newborn baby^[9]. Steeped in tradition, the more life cycles an Intaki Reborn has experienced, the greater the respect they have socially and politically.

Mannar

The ethnicities of Mannar VIII sit between 10-15% of the Federation’s population. The term is somewhat of a misnomer. Strictly speaking, only those who trace themselves to the nation of Mannar on its corresponding homeworld are of this ethnicity. The ethnicities of the other nations went by alternative names. However, as it was the Mannar who were the leading hegemon on their homeworld, all ethnic groups were referred to as such before the Federation.

Like the Intaki, the Mannar are well-established across Federation territories. Their culture, history, and tenacity have granted them greater status that they otherwise may have lacked, and the fact they have continued to persevere as a major Federal member despite the destruction of their home planet has granted them immense respect. Large segments of the Federation military are composed of Mannar, down from rank-and-file to top admirals. This association with the armed forces combined with a cultural emphasis on martial prowess has led to the Mannar being very influential in more hawkish corners of Federation politics.

Outside of their political leverage, the Mannar have great influence over Gallente aesthetics, particularly fashion styles and trendsetting^[10]. Much of the eccentric tailoring favored by the Gallente elite and decried as immodest and inappropriate by the other empires has its roots in pre-Federation Mannar culture, which included different concepts of modesty and etiquette. Massive hairstyles and elaborate body- and face-painting still feature prominently in addition to semi-opaque fabrics which respond to a variety of programmable stimuli. This has led to the Mannar generally meshing well with the wider Federation, at least its largest popular blocs.

Jin-Mei

The Jin-Mei are estimated to make up around 5% of the total population of the Federation. Because of their extensive economic and cultural influence, the Jin-Mei nation punches significantly above its weight as a major member despite their relatively smaller size. The nation’s economic and cultural influences can be seen across the Federation, ranging from agricultural products (like tea), music and holovision, to the adoption of honorific suffixes in parts of the interstellar Gallente language.

The Jin-Mei’s regimented caste system does not officially exist outside their home systems, but nonetheless lingers in social relations. Because the Jin-Mei were a single ethnicity making up a spacefaring nation before first contact with the Federation, many continue to identify as Jin-Mei and Jin-Mei only racially, socially, and politically. In contrast, many others (particularly women) have migrated as far away from the Jin-Mei nation as possible to escape the absolutism, instead identifying by another political identity while retaining their cultural practices.

Caldari

Although the majority of the Caldari population left the Federation in the evacuation of their homeworld, they are technically still a member race due to the fact there are several primarily Caldari member nations around the core systems who did not join the secessionists. This is not considered the most politically fashionable technicality to bring up in polite conversation.

The Caldari who did not leave the union include tribal groups living amongst the Kaalakiota Peaks to citizens living in post-colonial settlements across the Federation. These individuals hold no identity or allegiance to the State whatsoever. Curious to many is the fact that these Caldari are much more traditional compared to those found in the State, at least in terms of Raata cultures and customs. These groups are collectivist in nature and tend to create governments that reflect this. The hands-off attitude the general Federation populace has to these specific Caldari due to long-entrenched sensitivities means these groups generally keep to themselves.

A second group is made up of Caldari migrants from the State, who have left their home nation for a variety of reasons. This typically includes Caldari who were exiled or those who left the State for ideological disagreements (especially those who disagreed with the rise of Tibus Heth^[11]). Whatever the case, these Caldari are generally considered traitors by their counterparts back in the State. They may retain their identity independent of the State’s definitions, or blend into a wider Gallente melting pot.

Non-member races

Minmatar

Citizens who identify as Minmatar make up an estimated 30% of the Federation’s population (around a fifth of all Minmatar in the cluster), and rival the entire population of the Republic. The bulk of these Minmatar have lived in the Federation for many generations since the end of the Rebellion, with their numbers boosted by various waves of immigration over the past century. Most are Sebiestor, Brutor, Krusual, and Vherokior, along with small groups of Nefantar and Thukker. Recent events have seen the growth of a Starkmanir minority. While there are some societal patterns (most of which are stereotypes), the Minmatar of the Federation are as diverse as the rest of the union.

The stereotypes of the Minmatar, which may hold some water, are similar to the stereotypes of the various tribal ethnicities. By this generalization, the Sebiestor and Brutor can be found in engineering and labor jobs, while many Krusual seek employment in the corporate world. Vherokior individuals are known for running all sorts of family businesses. There is an image of Minmatar citizens in the Federation inhabiting worker jobs, though in reality they may be found in any profession or wealth bracket.

One unifying trait of citizens who identify as Minmatar is that they will still practice traditional rituals and rites, including the Voluval and other ceremonial tattooing^[12]. Politically, however, they will identify by their member state of birth or residence like the majority of citizens. The largest concentration of Minmatar by far is in Sinq Laison^[13], where they have settled worlds either as the largest or only group.

Amarr

The Amarr segment of the Federal populace are considered to compose individuals with True Amarr, Khanid or Udorian ancestry. Their reasons for living in the Federation are many. Some are simply expatriates in charge of Amarr economic interests in Gallente space, or are missionaries from the Empire. The majority are immigrants who left the home nation for a variety of reasons. Those persecuted for unorthodox interpretations of the Amarr religion are one group (including many Sani Sabik), while other groups simply left on their own accord, as the Empire has no laws against this. Native Gallente who have fully embraced the Amarr religion can sometimes be classified within this group.

The unifying element of this minority is their adherence to the Amarr religion. While there are many in the Federation who are of Amarr ethnicity while being irreligious, they tend to not be accounted for in this group (they may simply be called Gallente). However, there is a tendency amongst these groups to have widely diverging interpretations of the Amarr religion, particularly after a generation living in the Federation. Some groups have lived in the Federation for so long, that their own take on their religion is not widely considered as Amarr at all by actual Imperial citizens. Religious clashes between Amarr groups native to the Federation can thus be common.

How these Amarr have integrated into the Federation varies. Some may take on a Gallente lifestyle while retaining their religion and language within the boundaries of their home. Others have barely integrated, coalescing into their own communities that avoid contact with outsiders. In more cosmopolitan areas, Amarr citizens of the Federation can easily be identified through their fashion, where they have fused Imperial clothing habits with the local Gallente styles.

Socioeconomically, these Amarr show no inclination to one particular occupation or the other. It is notable that Amarr who group into isolated communities tend to inhabit the lower rungs of wealth and general prosperity. They may suffer violence or persecution at the hands of more extremist Federation citizens, especially certain Minmatar.

Ni-Kunni

There exist several large communities of Ni-Kunni who have migrated to the Federation. These immigrants typically retain their ancient religion which existed before first contact with the Amarr, thus they become even more isolated than they are in the Empire. They frequently strive to to recreate ancient Ni-Kunni ways, often adopting traditions that have not been widely practiced by the Ni-Kunni for over a thousand years. Ni-Kunni neighborhoods in the Federation often appear as if someone scooped up a part of pre-contact Mishi IV and deposited it onto another planet.

Ni-Kunni who do not isolate themselves into their own (somewhat impoverished) communities are known for their mercantile ingenuity. An endearing stereotype of Ni-Kunni being wealthy businesspeople or artisans is common. Ni-Kunni cultural products, such as wind dancing, music, or cuisine, are popular in many places across the Federation.

A largest concentration of Ni-Kunni live in the region of Solitude, either as above or as smugglers and border runners. Though not Federation citizens, these smugglers sometimes base themselves in Ni-Kunni immigrant communities, and hold a considerable sway in that region’s underworld.

Achura

Because of their status as the smallest major bloodline in the cluster, the Achura cannot be found grouped into easily-defined communities within the Federation, though a notable chunk do live alongside the Intaki. Achura citizens of the Federation tend to avoid political allegiances, and simply live their lives in accordance with their spiritual pursuits. Their solitary (and oft-times itinerant) nature means that the most common stereotype associated with Achura individuals in the Federation are those of teachers or mentors. They are highly regarded as such, their metaphysical outlooks gelling well with many Gallente and Intaki education systems.

Achura monasteries can be found in remote areas of the Federation, motivated by seers who felt compelled for one reason or another to establish these places of worship there. Their complete disinterest in material concerns (including political or economic) means that the wider Gallente populace are more than happy to allow the Achura to live harmoniously anywhere in the Federation they desire.

Others

There are hundreds of smaller ethnicities that exist in the Federation, either native (thus full Federation members) or immigrant. Unlike in other empires, these ethnicities are accounted for as citizens in equal standing with the larger races, rather than being treated as second-class (or slaves in the Amarr Empire). Some may call themselves Gallente for convenience. Many retain their distinct identities, even if said identities are practically unheard of on the interstellar stage. It is very common for new races to be encountered in very remote areas of uncharted planets. This can cause a bureaucratic mess, as these undiscovered peoples are as equally entitled to the exact same rights as those who found them.

Language

As the Federation is multi-lingual, language is considered the first boundary in social interaction over anything else. At the Federal level, there are multiple official languages that represent the largest member states, though technically the primary language of every single member state is Federation official. It is the Gallente language that is used the most frequently in interstellar government channels by far, which is in turn simply an interstellar lingua franca. Hundreds of thousands of other languages and millions of dialects exist otherwise, either native to specific locations, or mixed/hybrid languages. No other empire comes close to the Federation’s linguistic diversity, though many say this means they are generally far more stable and united as a result.

As many as 90% of citizens are bilingual or better, being able to speak and/or comprehend at least two or more languages. 50% is the estimated upper limit for trilingual citizens. This typically entails speaking one’s mother tongue along with a consensus language for interaction between peoples on a continent, planet, or system. The latter language may not be indigenous, and may be a Federation official language or dialect thereof. Less than 10% of Federation citizens speak only a single language; individuals who cannot speak a second language are ridiculed as uneducated and uncivilized, regardless of the fact they may not have had access to more than just their native tongue to begin with.

Only between 20-40% of citizens speak the interstellar Gallente language, which is erroneously presumed by many outsiders to be ubiquitous and universal due to the dominance of the Federation’s entertainment industry clusterwide^[14] (which always uses interstellar Gallente in productions for foreign distribution). Gallente is called an interstellar auxiliary language or interlanguage. Speakers of interstellar Gallente are either found in space, where it is the official language for Federation starship captains and traffic controllers, or in major cities with active spaceports and off-world trade. In both instances, these individuals will not be speaking interstellar Gallente as a first language, unless perhaps if they were born in a space habitat. The Gallente language as the cluster’s foremost second language and the language with the most speakers overall after Amarr means there are more speakers of interstellar Gallente outside the Federation than inside it.

The Federation is considered to have the best linguistic education in the cluster, due to its access to many languages within its borders. As language translators are only available to the rich, active efforts are made by many institutions to promote cross-cultural interaction through language education, while still encouraging the use of native tongues to preserve cultural uniqueness. While this has produced a cosmopolitan and socially aware populace, it has equally created a barrier that contributes to the demographical divisions that are present in large parts of the Federation. Attempts by the early colonialist administrations to homogenize language failed, and it is generally accepted that dealing with stunted social cohesion is necessary in the name of preserving cosmopolitanism.

Economic

When comparing to other empires on an absolute basis, the Gallente Federation is ranked first for average quality of living. A Federation citizen of one occupation will mostly always be better off than their counterpart in another empire. This is not only because of the large amount of luxuries available to citizens of all income levels, but is equally a consequence of active efforts by authorities in the areas of social support, equality, and improvement of living standards. Even the jobless and disenfranchised can rely on at least some financial aid, something that is unheard of in other empires. This is the biggest draw for immigrants to the Federation, although this materialistic form of measurement is criticized for not taking into account factors such as individual happiness or emotional fulfillment.

Even with regards to the above, attempting to stratify its economic divisions at a social level cannot be done. This is because of the cultural diversity amongst the countless member nations that make up the Federation. Each society and culture has its own definitions and attitudes towards wealth, class, and background, meaning that what may pass off as well-off in one community may appear as impoverished in another.

City grading system

As an attempt to offer some remote sense of a socioeconomic ladder, the Federation government uses a grading system for its major cities. It has been criticized as being completely arbitrary, with certain elements of the criteria being based on subjective factors rather than taking into account local nuances and complexities. Nonetheless, it is needed by interstellar organizations (eg. corporations) to be given a general idea as to what can be expected from a specific location. Rural settlements are not accounted for in this system, but it is often the case that communities that lay on the periphery of a major city will exhibit similar traits.

Cities are graded according to their political, economic, cultural, and infrastructural characteristics. While potentially subjective at the individual level, it is considered as objective as possible with regards to how Federation authorities define and measure socioeconomic development. Even then, criteria such as influence are measured by an interstellar standard rather than a planetary one.

Statistics indicate that beta and gamma cities are the most numerous, closely followed by alpha. The majority of delta cities are unrecorded, while the Federation has stopped the official acknowledgement of omega cities.

Alpha

Considered the benchmark example of a Federation major city, alpha cities sit at the apex of this system. They are characterized as being at the height of urban development, in possession of municipal and assistive technologies that sets it decades ahead of their rivals in New Eden. Advanced automation and technological integration have reached a point that the city can be regarded to be in a state of post-scarcity, having completely eradicated instances of poverty. To many, alpha cities characterize the popular images of the Gallente Federation.

Alpha cities by definition must be recognized on a first-name basis without needing to specify their planet or member state. The city will have a spaceport or space elevator capable of ferrying hundreds of thousands of passengers to and from orbit on a daily basis, combined with telecommunications infrastructure that links directly into the FTL network. As bastions of arts and sciences, its political and economic influence across the wider Federation will rival entire star systems. Its cultural output will similarly be massive as a tourist hotspot, regularly holding any sort of events from music to sports.

The populations of alpha cities are highly educated and cosmopolitan. They are known to be tech-savvy, and have access to unrivalled infrastructural services, including mass transit, interstellar GalNet access, and state-of-the-art healthcare. Political participation is high, and it is common for an alpha city to operate on a form of direct democracy, be it virtual forums for citizen-users or a council of technocrats. Working hours are short, and the quality of living is the highest in the entire cluster. At the same time, the cost of living in alpha cities is extremely high, yet those who fail tend to migrate elsewhere. Alpha cities are often the final goal for immigrants to the Federation.

Aesthetically and architecturally, alpha cities are not uniform. They may be multi-tiered crystalline megapolises with integrated flora, to pre-spaceflight cities that mix the old and new. Alpha cities that are known for the latter practice of neo-classicalism include Hueromont and Caille. While the Gallente-style consumerism is ubiquitous through the presence of interstellar corporations in these places, they will take the flavor of the cultures that are indigenous to the location.

Beta

Beta cities are similar to alpha cities, albeit they not as well (or not at all) integrated with the space economy, meaning elements of the interstellar cosmopolitan culture may be absent from these cities. As a result, beta cities are prosperous places to live that do not necessarily subscribe to the alpha standard, or the cultural quirks associated with that category. Many are planetary hegemons, that wield significant influence over their world but are relatively weak at the interstellar level.

Like alpha cities, beta cities may have relative poverty that has been created by local definitions of wealth. Crime may exist despite citizens leading comfortable lives, targeting owners of luxury items out of perceptions of social inequality and injustice. Either way, living standards are comparable with alpha cities, not necessarily with the use of advanced technology to elevate it.

A cited strength of a beta city is that they tend to lack the loudness and vivaciousness of alpha cities while having all of its positives, proving a very reasonable place to live for those uninterested in Gallente hyper-culture. Criticism is levied against the fact that beta cities are considered inferior to their alpha counterparts when living and working standards are the same, but it is simply how this particular system operates.

Gamma

Gamma cities are characterized by having a very large gap in living standards relative to the rest of the Federation, comparable to the wealthier cities in places such as the Caldari State and Amarr Empire. In several cases, the upper rungs of a gamma city will be better off than its foreign counterparts, on par with alpha cities. This creates the perception of the abject poverty being far worse off by comparison.

In gamma cities, hi-tech districts like those found in richer societies will stand alongside dilapidated residential areas and slums. The stratification may be severe or fluid depending on the culture in question, as what is classified as ‘hi-tech’ and ‘dilapidated’ rests on the local definitions. Slum areas may be out-of-date modular structures, industrial era brick housing, or even makeshift sheltering. The well-off areas may be crystalline skyscrapers, city blocks made of glass and concrete, or hyper-advanced arcologies. Whatever the case, the contrast is extreme enough to result in a strong rich/poor divide.

The poor and unemployed in these cities may not find themselves granted social welfare support for many different reasons. The political culture may not put any stock into assisting the underclasses (particularly true of libertarian or meritocratic societies), or corruption may prevent aid from interstellar bodies getting to its final destination. A city outsourcing its industries to drones and automation may be a common cause, or simply the lack of any work ethic in the inhabitants. There is no single core reason as to why a gamma city has its status.

Despite the living standards, gamma cities can still wield the same amount of political, cultural, and economic interstellar influence as any other city. It is not all that uncommon for their flaws to be overlooked or pushed aside when presenting itself to the interstellar community.

Delta

Delta cities are categorized by having very few unique characteristics beyond a large population. The income gap is narrow, yet the range as a whole is lower down the Federation government’s ladder. Delta cities may be built around a single industry, or are the hubs of minor civilizations who were never uplifted or developed. Technology may be old-fashioned, based on fossil fuels and local resources, though there may be smatterings of contemporary tech. Alternatively, the colonial cities found across the frontiers of the Federation are typically assigned delta status, as their standardized methods of construction and development are not considered to grant them any unique characteristics.

Living in a delta city is considered unremarkable. While a citizen cannot hope to be as well-off as those in more developed parts of the Federation, they are unlikely to fall into abject poverty either. These cities can be very remote, not interacting with space at all beyond industry, instead relying on various hinterland communities in its own political and economic bubble. Thus, any city that is relevant only to its local continent or planet can be considered a delta city.

Omega

Omega cities are no longer officially acknowledged by the Federation government, but are nonetheless recorded by independent groups. These are cities where order as defined by the Federation has collapsed (or never existed in the first place) for whatever reason, rife with abject poverty and instability. Any governments that exist are weak to impotent, and highly corrupt. Actual control of the fragmented populace is exhibited through non-recognized forces, including tribal warlords or illegal corporate proxies. Metrics such as personal health, life expectancy, and literacy rates are amongst the lowest in New Eden. Modern technology is either non-existent or in the hands of controlling forces. Any unifying identity is similarly absent.

Though such places exist in all four empires (and are numerous in null-security space), the Federation takes a different approach as it still classes the inhabitants of omega cities as full citizens, thus entitled to the same rights and support as everyone else. Governments of other territories or the Federation itself frequently attempt to intervene in omega cities to establish some sense of order and stability. This may be militarily, sending in forces to liberate the inhabitants from their oppressors. More peaceful means may be attempting to facilitate non-rigged elections and encourage voter turnout, but various local factors the Federation has been unable to take into account (either being unaware or unwilling depending on the administration) means that these endeavors can be unsuccessful.

Controversially, interstellar corporations have been implicated in keeping omega cities as such by using them to fill economic niches that cannot be compensated for elsewhere. For example, corporations have been caught employing child laborers in omega cities, in a wide variety of areas, but especially in textiles for use in interstellar fashion circles. Other illicit practices (like slavery) can frequently be found in omega cities. This has only been able to continue for so long because of the lack of any media or communications technology locally has kept many omega cities hidden from wider purview.

The majority of the Federation are in agreement that omega cities are in need of assistance. An unfashionable few defend the existence of these cities as serving a symbolic purpose, stating that omega cities are the exact reasons why citizens should not take their freedoms to the extreme, and should all work to prevent their own societies from falling that far.

Artificial habitat grading system

As artificial habitats are extremely popular in the Federation and can wield significant economic influence (such as the former Seyllin I), a separate system is used to measure their general levels of development.

Type-I

Type-I artificial habitats are unique to the Federation. These are artificial habitats that go as far to emulate entire planetary environments within their confines. Using the latest in engineering technology, fresh water, vegetation, artificial sunlight, and breathable atmospheres can be found in the harshest of places. On any kind of inhospitable planet, massive subterranean caverns will be mined out that can fit entire capital ships, made home to temperate-style cityscapes with lush flora and stylish living quarters. Alternatively, surface or floating arcologies are constructed that provide the same effect. Unless one was told otherwise, it would be very difficult to discern a type-I habitat from its natural counterpart.

Type-I artificial habitats are criticized venomously by other races as being overly indulgent and wasteful, though the Gallente defend such endeavors as necessary for pushing the boundaries of human science. Nonetheless, they are pragmatic enough to realize that there must be turnover from such ambitious megaprojects. Most type-I habitats are built for the purposes of large-scale mining excavations, and are massive contributors to the Federation’s mining industry. The residents of type-I habitats are universally well-off and well-skilled, as the common citizen will typically be employed in sustaining the advanced technology of the arcology.

The latest space stations and polyglas-domed underwater cities are two other examples of type-I habitats.

Type-II

Type-II settlements are as large as their type-I counterparts, but are significantly older and will have instances of poverty and underprivilege. They will lack the advanced aesthetics of the higher tier, and constructed with last generation techniques without having been upgraded to modern standard. As such, their economic significance may have dwindled, creating unemployment and districts inhabited by relatively poorer individuals.

Older space stations and underwater cities are examples of type-II habitats.

Type-III

Type-III settlements are comparable with the vast majority of artificial habitats in New Eden. Be it asteroid mining colonies or modular deadspace outposts, there are very little aesthetic differences or cultural quirks that distinguishes these habitats as Gallente in origin from their counterparts in other empires. They may be partial to using drones or other technologies associated with the Federation, but are otherwise unremarkable. Their lack of uniqueness keeps them far out of the limelight, no matter how necessary these habitats are to the interstellar economy.

Rural communities

A unique element of the Federation is that living in a rural community as a full citizen does not necessarily mean a lower standard of living than a city, as it is in other empires. Rural communities in the Federation exhibit a tremendous array of diversity, to the point that many cite the millions of these relatively unknown communities as being the true mark of Gallente multiculturalism and pluralism. Indeed, any sort of rural community found in human civilization can be located somewhere in the Federation. Because of this, no interstellar categorization system is used for them (especially considering that relatively few will have any interstellar influence anyway).

The richer rural communities may be found being called post-colonial towns. These are areas that were settled by independent parties who had no interest in the more traditional goals of colonization, rather preferring to make their own homesteads free from the commercialization and industrialization elsewhere. They may keep to themselves, relying on the off-world exportation of a single luxury good (particularly precious flora or fauna untouched by ruinous industry) that rakes in a large profit. Indeed, the Federation’s massive luxury goods industry is said to rely on these idyllic communities. A notable number are built around science and education, with similarly serene university towns contributing to Federation research efforts.

Alternatively, these wealthy towns may be built around tourism or pleasure resorts, although this does not just include ascended colonial settlements. Indigenous civilizations with entrepreneurial expertise may have clocked on to the Gallente habit of indulging in the exploration of ‘quaint’ or ‘fascinating’ minor races. They have kept themselves from modernizing their towns and villages beyond tourist accommodation (with spaceports built far out in the wilderness), and instead preserved their ancient settlements for pioneering tourists to explore and spend a large amount of money on. Entire civilizations in the Federation have been able to become ruinously rich without ever having to modernize by simply relying on the Gallente lust for the unexplored.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are millions of subsistence communities that keep themselves isolated and are completely unknown to larger bodies, ranging from anything including planetary tribes to forgotten colonies. Many only realize that they are citizens of some interstellar Federation in the rare event they encounter someone from space. Though there may be perceptions of abject poverty (particularly amongst non-civilized races), the truth of the matter in many cases is that there is no local perception of it; the population are happy to live their lives without any item of modern technology. They are left alone for the most part, given the choice to engage with the Federation as equal citizens if they wish. Gallente colonialism still lingers in some parts, however, and they may find themselves modernized regardless, though they are free to protest this.

See Also

• Gallente
• Chronicle: Language Translators
• Chronicle: Tomorow a Dream

References