The Extra-Solar Union of Systems Archive

The Extra Solar Union of Systems (ESUS)
A Mutual Trade, Defence and Technological Exchange Alliance

ESUS Constitution; Draft Four

Our Aim
We, the nations of the Extra Solar Union of Systems (ESUS), wish to establish an interstellar trading network intended to promote collective economic prosperity. Voluntary trade of technology and resources, bolstered by mutual defense, will allow our nations to grow while maintaining our original goal: the establishment of a secure environment.

Article I - Establishment
The combined sentient population of the ESUS form the Extra Solar Union of Systems and shall respect its laws and mandates.

Article II - Purpose

1. The ESUS shall protect the liberty and independence of all member states.
2. It shall promote common welfare, the sustainable development, the inner cohesion, and the sovereignty of the Alliance and its members.
3. It shall establish a Senate, in which every member is given equal standard and voice.
4. It shall strive to secure the long-term preservation of the Alliance, its member nations, and the sentients under its domain, and to promote a just and peaceful inner order.

Article III - Sovereignty
The member nations are sovereign insofar as their sovereignty is not limited by this constitution; they shall exercise all rights which are not transferred to the ESUS.

Article IV - Trade

1. Trade between members should be streamlined via common trafficking, trade laws and customs.
2. It is established that member states must facilitate the easy communication and interchange of information pertinent to smuggling operations, or relating to crime that may damage the economic stability of the Union.
3. It is established that the ESUS trade laws shall not favour any particular economic system.
4. It is established that trade of technology, knowledge and resources should be an objective of member states.

Article V - Laws

1. It is established that in case of an offensive attack against an ESUS member, all member nations should facilitate in some manner in the rebuilding, protection of civilians, protection of territory and protection of sovereignty of the member state.
2. It is established that a declaration of war between two or more member states shall nullify §5.1.
3. It is established that the ESUS Senate may formally declare an alliance-wide state of war with a majority vote.
4. It is established that military assistance shall not be compulsory should a member engage in hostile conflict as the aggressor.
5. It is established that member states participating in joint military exercises will utilise the ESUS Battlenet communications system.
6. It is established that no single member state may speak for the alliance as a whole.
7. It is established that any member may propose a change to this constitution, where it shall be voted upon by all member states, and if passed by a majority vote, established by law.

I have highlighted the changes in red. In addition to these, I have also excised the following sections, as I felt they were redundant:

• An international department (the Extra Solar Serious Crimes Directorate) shall be established in each member nation, and shall be granted powers to detain international smuggler suspects.
• It is established that the ESSCD may not be granted powers greater than local police forces.

I have added the section referencing the ESUS battlenet - as far as I can gather it's essentially de facto now, but it'd be nice to codify it.

Any suggestions before I put it to the vote?

I agree with Article 5: Section 5. It will allow us to coordinate our actions together and initiate total destruction of our foes.

This is Seconded by the Ta'Nar

The Protectorate sees no problem with this.

The ESUS battlenet works on quantum entanglement. We need to develop a reliable backup in a limited timeframe for that system; that would be a fair rider for this amendment.

The Otagian Regency approves of this measure.

I am genuinely suprised this was not done years ago since we almost all use the Battlenet.

Yeah, well, it seems I'm the only person who ever submits amendments to the constitution (although perhaps the archived resolutions count as such too) and I'm chronically lazy.

I'm also going to suggest adding this to Section V - Laws:

It is established that no single member state may speak for the ESUS as a whole.

This seems to be another defacto law that's never been codified.

I don't think it wise to preclude any IC statements being made by the ESUS; as it has stood, the rule has been an implicit guarantee of a beatdown on the presumptuous; codified, it could be used as a weapon by lawmongers to ensure that the ESUS has no voice IC.

I've always assumed it was speaking for the alliance as a whole both ICly and OOCly.