Obviously extreme and aggressive expansion

I hope empire, because as of now, we don't know of any other living things we would be oppressing if we expanded aggressively into their territory.

*manifests*

Barring a feasible apparent FTL scheme, if we want to do it the more consistent way we use the available resources to build initial habitats and set up primary supply lines, it's going to be a slow methodical expansion from the central point of our solar system with a few initial wave consisting of von Neumann probes leaving our solar system.

If you're looking to colonize other solar systems right away it'd be more of a "trickle" where populations are moved using generation ships which would require the same technology that it does to build our habitats. This may not seem preferential when compared to the above method but a more diffuse species is a more variable species, not only when it comes to biology, but also philosophy, politics, etc. If you're looking for more variation in thought among other things you may prefer this method.

Quote from: Korra on December 09, 2014, 04:47:22 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on December 09, 2014, 04:45:29 PM

When the big space expansion push happens, if it ever does, things will be messy. We'll be too busy fighting with ourselves to even worry about other life forms.

Let's just say that Earth's nation-states united under one banner (a more effective and powerful UN) and started expanding. What then?

Multiple planets mean new empires. Planets with different conditions and a few generations means Human adaptability, which means new variations of the species.

Look at the moon for example. I few generations of Humans born there, and adapted to the moon, would be radically different from their earth counterparts.

The moon, being so different, would have different values on things, such as minerals in abundance or no abundance. Water. Power.  Earth would lose control if we had multiple planets. It couldn't keep an active grip on so many variations of the species, with different needs, likely different cultures as a result of their homeworld and separation.

Here's the deal. We're going to expand. And we're going to fall apart. But not in the decimation sense. We're going to spread like seeds. Each one, a different outcome. Every world, a different value, different culture, potentially different variation of species based on gravity, starlight exposure, radiation exposure, and overall mineral content. New skin tones, birth traits, physical traits, and appearance.

There will never be central control. I would have to be allies. Allied worlds under a banner of a common interest or goal. Because Earth wouldn't have the power to back itself.

"Okay, you guys bend over for the homeworld or we cut you off."

"K. You don't get our imports and trade then."

Knowing Humanity, our expansion will be messy. Like a shotgun.

Variation is the word. Not only physiologically but philosophically, politically, socially. . .

Such diffuse populations will be safe from domination of a single thought pattern/philosophy/ideology.  It will be beautiful.

Ideally.

Kill all aliens and claim their planets as our own.

ALIEN PURGE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!

two space bombs wasn't enough

damnit dankest septagon beat me
oh well I didn't say the same thing so it's okay

Chances are that it's going to be a directorate, and if the amount of worlds is too big then it's going to be a representative government mainly based on local ones similar to the EU structure.

Sounds like quite a ride.

It would be just a bureaucratic mess. So, maybe during this mess an uprising towards a dictatorship which then could lead to oligarchy or a monarchy could take place; but that's far fetched. Where establishing a monarchy, a royal line and nobles requires special conditions. Since most nations that are space faring have at least a decent appeal of a democratic or liberal system then it's even harder to look back towards an autocracy. So even if an empire is established it might be heavily reliant on a republic.

Quote from: Korra on December 09, 2014, 11:17:42 PM

Sounds like quite a ride.

I didn't say it would be a fun ride.