The United Earth Conglomerate was formed in 2088 by an executive assembly of wealthy private investors from 28 different countries. The original function of this organization was to provide increased funding for off-world business operations.
By the mid-22nd century, the UEC had gained so much power over the world’s economy that it began to influence changes in global politics. Individual countries continued to retain their own government officials; however, these politicians had become little more than liaisons to both the general public and the media. As a result, the UEC essentially developed into a Corporate Republic in which the economic and political affairs of Earth were controlled by corporate interests. Although the major corporations continued to maintain their own hiring policies, a new system of registering employees was implemented by the UEC.
Free Workers were those who had completed at least three years of secondary training and were highly skilled in their professions. These individuals were in high demand and typically chosen for the most coveted work assignments.
Indentured Workers were often too poor to receive secondary vocational training. These individuals were hired under contract to labor in an assigned occupation for an allotted amount of time in exchange for basic benefits.
As the Human race began to venture into interstellar space, the UEC established two additional administrative branches in order to maintain control over its expanding territory. The United Earth Security Forces was a unified military division which became responsible for enforcing the laws and regulations within its jurisdiction, as well as protecting the corporate interests of the individual colonies. The Mining Guild was established as an industrial union with a Guild Baron appointed by the UEC to supervise all commercial operations in each system.
By 2185, the UEC encompassed a total of ten star systems beyond Earth throughout the stellar neighborhood. Most of the individual colonies were allowed to establish their own local governments and private security; however, their leaders were still required to carry out the mandates of Earth’s corporate empire. After the discovery of Ichorite in the 82 Eridani star system, the UEC attempted a complete takeover of the colonies there in order to have total control of this valuable new resource. This action led to a long and devastating interstellar civil war which resulted in a majority of the colonies declaring their independence from Earth. Currently, the UEC is comprised of Sol, Epsilon Eridani, 70 Ophiuchi, Eta Cassiopeiae, and the Delta Pavonis star system and utilizes political favors, financial incentives, and intimidation to ensure their allegiance.
In many ways, the formation of the United Earth Conglomerate was crucial in averting world-wide economic collapse and was also the catalyst for Humankind’s advancement into interstellar space. However, as this organization’s jurisdiction grew larger and encompassed more and more systems, greed and corruption within its hierarchy became commonplace. To this day, the UEC even dispatches its security forces on routine trade missions as a way of maintaining an appearance of superiority. Yet, most of the independent colonies find this continued attempt at intimidation to be an act of provocation and choose to completely distance themselves from Earth as much as possible.