It has long been a common practice for states to make unacknowledged treaties. This practice was condemned at the end of World War I, but because it is obviously impossible to prevent it, the practice presumably continued into the late twentieth century. Furthermore it would continue into Traveller time.
The politics of Traveller is dominated by a number of intersteller states("astralcracies"-I thought it a nice word). Each astralcracy has a different relationship with it's local governments. In the two-thousand worlds and the consulate the relationship between the astralcracy and the local governments is so close as to make treason almost unthinkable-not completely unthinkable of course.
However in the Imperium, the Soli-con, and both Sword World states(or Sworld World "States"), the local governments are independant enough as to constitute states of their own in a pyrimidal state structure,not merely by accident but by constitutional intention. In the Sworld Worlds in fact the planetary government completly dominates the astralcracy and is intended to do so.
It follows that there would be a number of occasions where a sub-state, or other political nucleus, such as a megacorporation, should at times intrigue with powers across the border. Not enough to harm the astralcracy seriously. But enough to be reasonably common. It would of course be treason but it would often be ignored by the astralcracy, and sometimes not be known. Depending of course on how serious it was. If a world in the Imperium was actively seeking assistance from the Zhodani in pursueing a feud against a neighboring state, then the Imperium probably would stifle it if it finds out. This after all is to dangerous to let pass.
If one megacorperation sought the support of the government of a nonaligned world in a trade war over the rights to trade in that world, it would probably be ignored. The same if two powerful families within the Imperium used their connections outside the Imperium to fight a proxy war. In the last case the Imperium might even prefer it that way. It would of course be better if the proxy war isn't fought at all, other things being equal. But at least it won't destabilize the Imperium, and destabilizeing someone else might be useful to Imperial interests.
Thus it is that no astralcracy is a closed system. Though it would cause fewer headaches if each astralcracy could deal with it's own dirty laundry
the fact is that internal troubles cross borders. Not just because astralcracies are trying to subvert each other, but because the sub-states are attempting their own cross-border intrigue. How often would depend on the risks and rewards of doing so. But it is a possibility every astralcracy must keep in mind.
The politics of Traveller is dominated by a number of intersteller states("astralcracies"-I thought it a nice word). Each astralcracy has a different relationship with it's local governments. In the two-thousand worlds and the consulate the relationship between the astralcracy and the local governments is so close as to make treason almost unthinkable-not completely unthinkable of course.
However in the Imperium, the Soli-con, and both Sword World states(or Sworld World "States"), the local governments are independant enough as to constitute states of their own in a pyrimidal state structure,not merely by accident but by constitutional intention. In the Sworld Worlds in fact the planetary government completly dominates the astralcracy and is intended to do so.
It follows that there would be a number of occasions where a sub-state, or other political nucleus, such as a megacorporation, should at times intrigue with powers across the border. Not enough to harm the astralcracy seriously. But enough to be reasonably common. It would of course be treason but it would often be ignored by the astralcracy, and sometimes not be known. Depending of course on how serious it was. If a world in the Imperium was actively seeking assistance from the Zhodani in pursueing a feud against a neighboring state, then the Imperium probably would stifle it if it finds out. This after all is to dangerous to let pass.
If one megacorperation sought the support of the government of a nonaligned world in a trade war over the rights to trade in that world, it would probably be ignored. The same if two powerful families within the Imperium used their connections outside the Imperium to fight a proxy war. In the last case the Imperium might even prefer it that way. It would of course be better if the proxy war isn't fought at all, other things being equal. But at least it won't destabilize the Imperium, and destabilizeing someone else might be useful to Imperial interests.
Thus it is that no astralcracy is a closed system. Though it would cause fewer headaches if each astralcracy could deal with it's own dirty laundry
the fact is that internal troubles cross borders. Not just because astralcracies are trying to subvert each other, but because the sub-states are attempting their own cross-border intrigue. How often would depend on the risks and rewards of doing so. But it is a possibility every astralcracy must keep in mind.
