Low Berth Politics

[MrMorden]

Citizenship is kind of a weird topic in Traveller, since there's no real definition of an "Imperial Citizen" in the rulebooks.

IMTU, any sophont that is from a world within Imperial borders is considered an Imperial Citizen. After all, residents of any Imperial world benefit from Imperial forces/policies (such as receiving naval protection). In addition, the economy of that world benefits the Imperium through trade, so all of the workers and facilities of that world help the Imperium.

Imperial Citizenship is just a blanket covering the residents of the Imperium (IMTU). It's not like citizens get to vote for leaders, since they are nobility appointed through the Emperor. So there's no reason not to extend citizenship to any resident of an Imperial world.

Of course, exceptions can exist. Interdicted worlds, or those actively resisting Imperial control, might have questions regarding the status of their citizens.

 

[kaladorn]

Let me suggest to you that you have some examples to the contrary:
Spinward Marches - Tionale.

This is clearly identified as being a client state, but is also clearly within Imperial Borders.

I'd suggest a modified version is all citizens of Imperial Controlled or Imperial Member worlds (not just as defined by the borders extents) are citizens.

Pedantic, but perhaps important in points.

 

[aramis]

IMTU, the imperium distinguishes subjects (any sophont within its borders) from citizens (those who have worked in the imperial government, or in a subsector or sector government, or in a megacorp, or for an imperial licensed mercenary (including starmerc/pirate) unit for 4 or more terms, or who hold an imperial noble title, or who hold local citizenship on two or more imperial member worlds, or born on a spacecraft).

Subjects do not have any right to travel off world. They may be allowed to do so. They must be returned to their homeworld if such is requested by said homeworld in the absence of a criminal conviction or imperially recognized naturalization. (In short, subject who go as refugees have to be returned if their homeworld insists.) Unfortunately, Imperial Regulation prevents naturalization of subjects without the permission of their homeworld's government.

Imperial Citizens may not be constrained on world without due process AND criminal conviction... and have a right of appeal to the Imperial Noble overseeing the "Imperial Interests" for the system. (Essentially, IMTU, planetary Imperrial Nobles are the Consul General of the 3I for the world)