Discrepancies in Gundam political and military formations

[degwin_zabi]

Well, not a lot, but it makes good trivia or whatever.

[toysdream]

The Federation doesn't need to have a president. Lots of real-world nations don't have presidents, and they get along just fine.

-- Mark

[degwin_zabi]

I meant that last part as a figure of speech for a central leader.

[degwin_zabi]

Well, now that I think about it, it maybe possible for the Federal Prime minister to be like the American President as head of state and government. The guys in Japan just didn't think of everything.

[monster]

Well, now that I think about it, it maybe possible for the Federal Prime minister to be like the American President as head of state and government.

That's what I'm thinking.

The guys in Japan just didn't think of everything.

Or they simply used a term that is used in Japan, but possibly not the same way as it is used in Japan.

[degwin_zabi]

Well, now that I think about it, it maybe possible for the Federal Prime minister to be like the American President as head of state and government.

That's what I'm thinking.

The guys in Japan just didn't think of everything.

Or they simply used a term that is used in Japan, but possibly not the same way as it is used in Japan.

I meant the fact that the name of office wasn't introduced until Unicorn.

[monster]

I meant the fact that the name of office wasn't introduced until Unicorn.

Oh, I think that has to do with what I said earlier. It's just not the focus of the story. Even Unicorn only uses it in the past when it needed to focus on someone.

[degwin_zabi]

I know, but I'm sure a Gundam encyclopedia book would make good reference to it in the event it doesn't make the camera. As I said, I know Star Wars is the one that makes due with the politicians and it has done a fine job with it, but a small cameo wouldn't have hurt in Gundam.

[degwin_zabi]

Perhaps by the time Char made his Dakar speech, the Federal Assembly became more like the Swiss Federal Council. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Federal_Council

[Kratos]

Maybe.

But at this point, without official info, all we can really do is speculate. Anything beyond "there was a prime minister at the start of UC, but doesn't seem to be a specific head of state by the time of the OYW", is really just a pet theory.

That's not to say that the vagueness of how the Federation operates isn't occasionally frustrating, but I've never found that it really intrudes on the narrative or thematic elements all that much, personally.

[Zeonista]

At any rate, the discussion of the vested position of leadership in the Universal Century is quite beside the point. As the UC stories enjoy detailing, the person nominally in charge usually lacks the will or the actual political clout to wield the powers of that office. (Zeon Zum Deikun is the exception to the rule here. ) In the UC political scene, the astute observer asks not who is officially in charge, but who has the ability to make things happen as formal or informal policy. It is the second described political person who should be approached when a supplicant, or watched when a foe. There is more than enough real Japanese history in both pre-Meiji and post-Meiji eras to explain why this is accepted as a given in the stories by the Japanese audience.

Edit: In response to Kirby's post, I would like to add that the EUG's lack of readily discernible head of government is the result of a dilution of executive power due to a lot of official and semi-official delegation of it. The various ministries would have a lot of the real executive functions of government, and like all bureaucracies become adept at perpetuating and enlarging themselves and their areas of responsibility. All the Assembly at Dakar really needs to do is keep signing the checks and approve/amend the plans and position papers submitted to them by the ministers. However without a firm executive authority to give a guiding hand, both short-term and long-term policy will tend to lack focus, will take the path of least effort, and will be ill-equipped to handle a sudden crisis. Like say, an abrupt change in government and a declaration of independence from the furthest settled Side...

Edit 2: The colonial governments themselves would provide much of the local decision making and administration to the extent that most of us consider "government". To that extent they are limited and representative bodies that could deserve the title of "republic" as given in the UC settings. According to local choice one could have an executive power that could exercise a more direct and focused role. In an ideal UC world these representative leaders would be Side spokesmen as commonwealth members of the greater Federation.

Tomino et al though set aside the space pie-in-the-sky aspect of the UFP and reminded us that this means the citizenry of Luna and the Sides would come to regard their local governments as being just as important as Dakar, and the better bargain in terms of responsibility, attention, and imposed policy with or without consent. Indirect rule from a distance would inevitably be seen as annoying interference, and direct rule become regarded as oppressive. This viewpoint becomes Gundam the Origin in truth. It is also worth noting that the Side 3 crisis occurred as the generation of colonists born and raised in space matured and entered politics with more affinity to their Side than to a collection of bureaucrats and assemblymen that they didn't elect back on Earth.

[Amion]

Sounds like the American Colonies, like Mr. Wong said, when not in a punching fit.