Stelsoc

Stellar Socialism (abbreviated to Stelsoc) is a form of socialist theory, centered around adapting older socialist principles to the realities of interstellar civilization, that was developed during the Age of Unity and put into practice on a small scale throughout the latter Age of Unity. It came into its own however in the fallout of The Great Cataclysm, during the Long Night as areas which had been hotbeds of Stelsoc emerged relatively untouched from the Cataclysm, and established new societies relatively quickly during the Long Night. In the contemporary era Stelsoc has become one of the most influential ideological currents in the galaxy, and Stelsoc states are among the main contenders for dominance of the slowly rebuilding interstellar civilization.

Principles of Stelsoc

Those Who Work Should Control the Work - An adaptation of the venerable phrase “the proletariat should own the means of production”, it implies simply that all of the machinery, labor, and ideas required to run society, are produced by society, and should be controlled by the society for the commonwealth, rather than, as the theory goes being governed at the dictat of a small owner class. What form this actually takes varies significantly depending on the exact nature of a Stelsoc civilization, but any nation which claims to follow the ideology will at the very least pretend to follow this principle rigorously even if in practice there is a state imposed oligarchy or some other force serving as the principal owners of the economic engines of the society in question.

From Each According to Ability, To Each According to Need - An old standby of socialist theory, Stelsoc fully embraces this concept. Everyone is expected to contribute to society to the best of their ability. For some this will mean more traditionally expected fields of labor, for others this will be academic work, others domestic work. Citizens will be provided the means and suitable accommodation to ensure that they can be successful. In exchange every Citizen will be afforded respect and dignity in their labor, and access to the goods necessary for survival, and depending on the surplus available whatever additional frivolity can be afforded. Though some strive for absolute equality, the more pragmatic do assign more resources to more specialized, or more difficult forms of labor so long as the basic needs for a reasonable and dignified existence for everyone are met.

We Must Embrace Difference - One of the realities of interstellar civilization is the rapidly growing diversity of human populations across not just one planet, but several thousand, and countless more space habitats and long term space voyages. For Stelsoc civilizations, these differences must be acknowledged and studied to the greatest extent possible to determine the abilities and needs of each individual. An intersectional approach to societal development is a must to ensure the best outcome for the commonwealth. To this end, it is necessary to understand and accept the diversity of humanity, and if friendly aliens are discovered, all sentient life, to the greatest extent possible.

A Balance Must Exist Between Ecology and Economy - One of the great mistakes of the old Marxist-Leninist states of the past was their pursuit of economic maximization at the expense of ecological sustainability. In this respect, they repeated many of the same mistakes their Capitalist rivals also made, which was the ultimate cause of the Climate Emergency on Old Earth. In the future we must accept the limitations imposed upon us by our worlds, and strive to live as harmonically within natural ecosystems as possible. To this end, most Stelsoc states try to be responsible stewards of the planets upon which they live, avoiding needless overproduction, and being careful about major geoengineering projects where possible. If extra resources are available, efforts to repair ecological damage caused by previous societies are desirable, and any new heavy industries should be placed in areas where those heavy industries are going to cause the least amount of damage possibe.

Society Across the Stars Must Accept Decentralization - One of the core motivating rationales behind the transition from more traditional Marxist-Leninist theory to Stelsoc was the practical realities of interstellar communication and travel times. While there was a resurgence in interest in central planning towards the end of the Solar Era, as humanity spread out across the stars, and the time it took to communicate expanded dramatically, the feasibility of centrally controlled economies broke down completely. While many of the more traditional vanguardists would balk at the idea of complete decentralization, all modern practice of Stelsoc demands a certain level of local autonomy. The degree to which this devolution of planning authority exists is largely dependent on the State, but no Stelsoc state has the hubris required to replicate the complete central control of the Union of Sol for example.

Primary Schools of Stelsoc Thought

Stelsoc as a wider ideology is torn in two directions by the ideals of the ideology when compared with the more pragmatic issues that Stelsoc societies face on the ground. As a result, within Stellar Socialism there exist two major camps. On one side there are the Vanguardists which believe primarily that a centralized apparatus and democratic centralism are necessary to achieve the goals of revolution, and the other, Federationists believe that building dual power and decentralized networks are the key to ultimately undermining unjustified power structures. Both ideologies incorporate some ideas from the other, though to a varying extent each major branch of Stelsoc must balance these two ideals for revolutionary action.

Vanguardism

The most direct outgrowth of the traditional Marxist-Leninist model of socialism that was adopted by most socialist projects of the Ancient Era, Vanguardism posits that a well educated, and highly motivated vanguard is necessary to bring the bulk of the people together to seize the power of the state, at which point transition to a Stellar Socialist project is possible. Vanguardists generally believe that a centralization of economic control is necessary to a certain extent in order to stamp out any counterrevolutionary elements hidden in the surviving private sector. It could be argued the orthodox Vanguardist thought was adopted by the ruling party of the Aseni Popular Republic, orthodox Vanguardism as a whole is relatively unpopular in larger civilizations, seeing its greatest support within independent systems which have shorter time delays to worry about in maintaining centralized control. However, core Vanguardist principles are a key part of Zhangist theory, which has become dominant in the wider galaxy.

Federationism

An evolution of Councilist and Anarchist currents that had largely not been implemented during the Ancient period of Earth, Federationists believe that best organizing practice for a revolution is to empower decentralized worker’s councils as a means of establishing a socialist society. Most federationists believe in the notion that the key to establishing socialism is building dual power through mutual aid, with this, the socialist structures that arise can survive attacks, or indeed the collapse of the primary power structure in society and its better positioned to rebuild in the fallout. Federationists therefore believe strongly in decentralization of power, with a Federation of Worker’s Councils providing the basis of political action, and when established, economic organization. Federationists tend to place a higher value on free expression and association, as well as nearly universally adopting E-Democratic legislation directing a relatively small bureaucracy, being the primary political organization after establishing themselves, and are therefore seen as less “conservative” than the Vanguardist tendencies. Federationism is best exemplified by the Cincastrella Confederacy, but is generally more popular within smaller societies.

Zhang Zeyue Thought

 Originating in the systems that would become the Democratic Republic of Yuanjing, Zhang Zeyue Thought (shortened to Zhangism) is a development of Vanguardism that makes some compromises with Federationism that are deemed necessary by its adherents (known as Zhangists). Though Zhang Zeyue Thought still believes in a vanguard party, it has re-adopted the use of the mass line as a means for adopting policy, and accepts a relatively high degree of power devolution. A great deal of power is placed into the hands of autonomous worker councils, so long as they meet the requirements set out by planners, and Zhangists are also generally adopters of E-Democracy as a means of settling debates on matters of party policy. Zhangists are likely to utilize state planning as a means of laying down the foundations of larger statewide projects and long term goals, and prefer to leave the particulars of meeting those objectives to more localized organizations who are closer to the real world conditions and are better capable of responding accordingly. Zhangism as a political force is at is strongest within the Democratic Republic of Yuanjing, where it first originated, but has become the dominant single tendency of Stelsoc in the galaxy, with both it, and the Socialist Republic of Romantia, as well as numerous independent star systems existing under the Zhangist Banner.

Ureanism

Ureanism (short for Socialism with Urean Characteristics) is a splinter of Vanguardist thought exclusive to the Spinward Urean Republic. Ureanists have adapted the broader ideology to fit to the unique conditions of the Urea Nebula. Ureanists, believe that for socialism to exist, a state must first have advanced to a level of technological development where a high degree of labor automation allows for the workers to produce a vast abundance with as little work as possible, and ultimately support a form of state directed mixed-market with private and public interests working together to develop the Urean Republic to a state where a socialist mode of economic organizing is possible. Though few states would claim to be openly Ureanist, the underlying principle has been adopted by many states struggling with underdeveloped economic bases, or those utterly ravaged by the Jred Scourge, The Great Cataclysm, or the privations of the Long Night.

Interstellar Anarchism

An extremist outgrowth of the Federationist position, Interstellar Anarchists believe that, since communication on an interstellar level is slow, an interstellar state existing at all is an unjustified and undue imposition of formalized power structures. They assert that the sole major organizing bodies that should exist are federated workers councils that cooperate with and support one another. Interstellar anarchists support the use of dual power to bring about the end of state power, and in practice many Interstellar Anarchist projects eventually evolve into Federationist ones over time. Overall, Interstellar Anarchism is a relatively fringe ideological current with the broader Stelsoc movement and is most popular in small communities where the relative lack of societal complexity makes a trusting society more sustainable. 

Ideological Conflicts

With Frentierism

While Stellar Socialists and Frentierists may agree on certain political matters, Frentierism and Stelsoc are fundamentally at odds on the matter of political and economic organization. While some, (particularly Ureanists) believe some compromise is possible, ultimately it is widely accepted in Stelsoc academic circles that Stelsoc will eventually have to supplant Frentierism as the dominant political force in the galaxy. Ideological conflict between these two ideologies is in fact a major driving force in astropolitics following the end of the Long Night and is predicted to continue for some time.

With Solism

The deeply entrenched social hierarchy demanded by Solist political theory is anathema to the theory, if not necessarily the practice of Stellar Socialism. Furthermore, Solists reject the rights and power of labor seeking to subordinate both to the whims of the state, rather than, at least in theory subordinating the state to the whims of the working class. Therefore, Solists are to be rejected outright wherever possible. Moreso than anybody except perhaps the most hardline of Frentierists, Solists, and Solism are the principle enemy of the wider Stelsoc movement.

With Techno-Barbarism

While not inherently contradictory to one another, many Stellar Socialists believe that Ideological Techo-Barbarism is a fundamentally reactionary ideology, opposed to the (or indeed any) notion of progress in favor of returning to simpler, pre-interstellar modes of organizing. Techno-Barbarian ideologies conversely, see the Stelsoc movement as another foolhardy attempt to try to bind together another fundamentally unsustainable interstellar civilization under slightly different principles and reject Stelsoc as a result.

With Religions

Conflict between religion and Stelsoc is a sporadic matter, with conflicts arising or being resolved depending on the Stelsoc current, and the particular religion discussed. However, some Stelsoc adherents hold on to the notion that religion is a pacifying force for the masses and should be made irrelevant and extinct in the progression of society. Others are more accepting of religion that is at least not inherently incompatible with Stellar Socialist principles, and a handful believe that religion is not only acceptable, but possibly a valuable tool in bringing Stelsoc principles to masses of people who would otherwise not accept Stelsoc ideology.

History of Stelsoc

Stellar Socialism can trace its origins to the original socialist movements of ancient Earth. Though initially crushed under the boot of Capitalist powers, with the last holdouts being brought underneath the auspices of a capitalist state following The Troubles, many socialist ideologies, particularly those who had settled stars distant from Earth began to analyze the troubles encountered by the earlier socialist projects, and the realities of the burgeoning interstellar civilization and either adapt, or formulate new methods of socialist organizing that could better suit a society spread out among the stars. Though the Transolar Federation remained staunchly in the hands of their political opponents, some of these methods could be tested, at least at the local level towards the edges of human civilization. Some early Stelsoc projects arose in this time, particular in areas where the central government wasn’t paying attention, and indeed flourished when they could.

The Third Great Human Civil War, and its fallout put a stop to these projects however. With the Frentierist faction of the civil war emerging on top, they remade the entirety of galactic civilization in their own image, and crushed any surviving Stellar Socialist projects that managed to survive the war itself. Without the ability to support one another, stellar socialists once again moved underground to continue developing their economic theories away from the prying eyes of a hostile state. Though no major movement would emerge during this time, it was during the Third Expansion that perhaps the most famous Stelsoc theorist, Zhang Zeyue developed their theory, which itself spread quietly throughout the galaxy during the final days of the Age of Unity. However, these now proponents would remain underground keeping to low level organizing and theorycrafting to avoid a direct confrontation with the state.

The Jred Scourge proved a prime opportunity to once again attempt to seize power, at least on the local level. With the Stellar League too busy with the Jred, many smaller Stelsoc projects developed uncontested, and many larger Stelsoc societies openly revolted. Though most of these revolts were put down, the wider movement could no longer be crushed the way it could have been before the Scourge. Several states broke away in the closing days of the Scourge and maintained their independence until The Great Cataclysm shattered galactic civilization completely. While many of these societies collapsed in the aftermath, the destruction of interstellar civilizations allowed some of these new Stelsoc societies, those lucky enough to survive the Cataclysm relatively intact to develop in peace. 

In the era during and since the Long Night the Stelsoc movement has grown in prominence, starting from the scattered societies that formed shortly before, during, and after the Great Cataclysm, to become one of the dominant political forces in the steadily expanding societies of the New Frontier. The strongest bloc of the movement is the Mutual Development and Assistance Pact (MUDAP or Nova Luanda Pact), which represents a force not only of extant Stelsoc states, but a movement to actively expand the frontiers of Stelsoc societies. However, the movement faces several opponents, including the powerful Saratov Anti-Socialist Pact, and other Solist and Frentierist states. The resulting conflict has become one of the most important struggles within Civilized Space, and frequently spills over into proxy conflict in the Near Frontier and beyond.Stelsoc States and Organizations

The Mutual Development and Assistance Pact (also known as the Nova Luanda Pact or MUDAP) is the single largest force for advancing the cause of Stellar Socialism in the galaxy today. An alliance primarily driven by Yuanjing and Cincastrella, it is an alliance dedicated to development of nascent Stelsoc societies in the Frontier with the aim of creating new interstellar states aligned with the greater movement. It is also the primary astropolitical opponent of the SASO alliance.

The Democratic Republic of Yuanjing is the most powerful Stelsoc State. It has the largest known economy of any Stelsoc state, a large military, and is a leading force in MUDAP. It is also the home of, and greatest exemplar of Zhang Zeyue Thought.

The Cincastrella Confederacy is an extremely prosperous Federationist Stelsoc state located in the State of Pariah. Though not as famous or powerful as Yuanjing, it is on average more prosperous, and is another key part of the MUDAP alliance.

The Aseni Popular Republic is a relatively young Stelsoc state, formed out of a revolution, and latter a civil war against a Solist governate loyal ot the Union of Sol, and a breakaway Frentierist State.