That maybe a purpose after the invasion of the Vasari, I sure that any pirate raids would be handled by the local goverment. But your second purpose would be the key to the TO. Less red tape= more profit for all.

As for your requirements, anyone could be allowed to join just as long as they can improve profit and trade. The Trade Order focus is trade and cash flow.

I feel like they would have a distinct set of rules. The Trade Order was focused on profits, but I don't think they let just anyone in.

Mmmm...Not aruging that. Maybe I should of been a bit more descriptive.

We know they had a set of guidelines....thats how the Advent got started.

No matter what guidelines are, profit and new trade are the critical points.

Oh yes I definitely agree to that.

Well, lets break down the current principals you have:

1. sounds right.

2. There was no wars all disputes were setted in Court. (But still sounds like something just incase.)

3. I dont think the Trade Order could attack anything untill the TEC.

4. Sound resonable, but Im not sure if that was a problem till the Vasari showed up.

5. The one representive sounds good, though I would think how long that person served would be up to the goverment they serve.

6.7 and 8.. I dont think it would matter what kind of goverment the member is, just as long as they are productive member of the TO.

Maybe you should include something like "Every member planet agrees it has a responsibility to keep its commerce lanes open for all TC trade". This would make blockades illegal and would support anti pirate operations (which they did do prior to the arrival of the Vasari).

2,3,4- right they're mostly safeguards, but they would still be present. a "just in case" kinda thing.

5. well that wouldn't be fair if one planet had one rep serving for 15 years and another only serving 6. I think it would have to be regulated, though I'm open to changing 8 to 10 or maybe even 12 (tho I think that's stretching it a while, thats a long time to be serving.)

6,7- you're right, I'll remedy them tomorrow.

8- I still think matters. Remember, this is before the Order had some hundreds of planets. They might not even have the full Central Core yet. These would be the starting guidelines for ALL Trader planets-to-be. (also my argument to #3, there were many many systems that the TO was not alligned with. Bloodshed was a myth by the time of the birth of the TEC, but that doesn't mean the Trade Order didn't get bloody in its beginning.)

Im with CI here on the issue of representatives. If their going to represent their planet in Trade Order Council of sorts, The individual governments would have to bow to the TO considering its being kind enough to allow them to hold their own governments and isnt that involved with what goes on within the planet.  If you wanted someone on the Council, theyd have to follow the rules set down by the TO itself about how long the rep would serve. As well his individual powers and his limits.

Alrighty, Im still gonna stick with no limit on 5.

After all current goverment each goverment sets up their representaves and ambassadors. You could put a limit if you want I just dont any reason too. Each sepreate goverment should regulate their own ambassadors.

Note: Petitioning planets must not be run by psychopathic, psychic girl scouts with glowing eyes.

Or Aliens.

Okay, Aliens but not Jews.

Okay Jews

     No they must also have some guidelines about religon. Possibly atheism? Or you can't be a fanatic and even if you contribute to the TO, out you go. It's possible TO didn't like religon and abolished it. The TO was allowed to attack pirates who raided them, th TO's response to the Vasari were frigates that were converted to fight pirates. Much like how the pirates converted the TEC ships into their own.

I totally agree with you on that one.  Their focus is trade; why would they care about your government so long as you trade fairly?

I don't see why religion would even matter.  Yes, they kicked out the Advent, but I don't think it was religion that pissed off the traders (seemed to be cybernetics).  I would think this is in the same vein as political setup, as far as the traders are concerned: "We really couldn't care less."

Should they get representatives based on Planets or something else like population or maybe (since it's all about trade) GDP or quantity of imports/exports?  It'd be possible to have a two house system with a House of Planets and a House of Trade (or better names).  ... just an idea.

As for the length of a term: I think it's perfectly reasonable for the overarching government to specify the  length of a term.  How the representative is selected or how many terms they serve would leave plenty of flexibility in the hands of the individual planets.

That's extremely unlikely. From the instruction manual 'However, outside of the Traders' core principals, each member world maintained its own interests, form of government, economic systems, and culture.' Considering that religion is part of culture, it'd be more likely that each world would be allowed to establish and continue their religions. The Trade Order itself therefor would have to be secular, not atheistic, in order to not cater to any belief, including atheism. Otherwise, it would be a violating of individual planetary governments and culture.

Of course, the Unity's existance violates the basic idea of humanity to the Trade Order, because each person loses their individuality and essentially becomes a pseudo-mechanical host for the Unity. In otherwords, the Unity existance was a violation of humanity, because its worshippers lost their humanity to join the Unity.

It's not an ambassador thing, its a representative thing. Like any government job, there's a term which consists of a period of years before it is up for reelection. The person presiding in that position can be voted to stay in, but they must have another vote. For the reps to the TOC, that isn't specifically stated in the Charter whether or not they have to be democratically elected, but each planet's government would have to work that 8-year term into their system somehow. (Maybe not strictly enforced, but they agree to it in the charter)

Numbers 6 and 7 are changed, let me explain what I put.

6- so each planet's allegiance in the game is interpreted as their citizen's happines with their current government (for this charter, before the war.) So when a planet wishes to be admitted into the Trade Order, its approval rating must be at least 70%. After it is admitted it can drop, but at admission it must be 70% or higher.

7- But if a planet drops to 30%, the citizens might be getting unruly and thinking of rebelling against the government, and the TOC holds the right to decide whether or not that planet's population poses a threat to its government and whether the Trade Order should get involved or not. Just because a planet drops to 30% doesn't mean they're abandoned by the Trade Order, but once a planet reaches 30% they become a "hot zone" and TOC can lawfully decide (by a 2/3 vote) to expel them.

...which brings me to

8- If a planet is expelled from the Trade Order, it can apply for membership again, but only once it has met all the necessary requirements. (so far its only 70% approval rating) BUT the Council can still decide that the planet is more trouble than its worth and deny it membership (again, 2/3 vote yea or nay)