--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 7/19/16, Kenneth Barns <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

[Whole lotta' cuttin' goin' on!]

 there is no way the
 10-odd-billion citizens of the Terran Confederation are
 going to culturally (and genetically) overwhelm a few
 sectors of well-established Vilani. 

[another BIG SNIP!]

Aaaand,
 just arrived in my intray is Bruce's reply, which I
 agree with.  The Nazis were aiming for a German
 monoculture.  The Soviets were acutely aware of the
 multicultural nature of their state, and national
 identification played a significant role in intra-Soviet
 politics.  Similarly, published materials (esp. DGP's
 Solomani & Aslan) emphasise the confederal nature of the
 Solomani state, and the need for the central government to
 juggle the priorities of the many (often powerful and
 conflicting) member-states.  It makes it much easier to
 paint individual Solomani patriots (and even the Solomani
 state as a whole) in a more sympathetic light than
 "Nazis in space".
 --Cheers!

 Ken

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Agreed, but would also like to note that I recall reading somewhere that introduced diseases decimated Vilani populations in rimward areas towards the end of the 'Interstellar Wars'.

Also, there was mention that some worlds w/i the SolConfed had conferred citizenship on uplifted dolphins which the SolConfed refused to acknowledge.

Also, in SJG's 'No Assassination/No Rebellion'  timeline, there was a very nasty civil war that eventually broke out w/i the SolConfed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------