Government

Version

This article is considered accurate for the current version (2.2) of the game.

This article is for the PC version of Stellaris only.

Government interface

Every empire has a government that provides different benefits. The name of a government is automatically determined according to its Ethics, Authority, and Civics. The government can be reformed once every 20 years for 250 influence.

Contents

Authority

An empire's authority determines how power is transferred in the government. For all authority types, except gestalt consciousnesses, policies such as voting rights and leadership affect who can get elected.

Type	Election	Ruler term	Changeable	Effects	Requirements	Description
Democratic	Democratic	10 years		Rulers have mandates Re-election	Authoritarian Fanatic Authoritarian Gestalt Consciousness	Democratic governments have regular elections where all citizens can vote on who should represent them.
Oligarchic	Oligarchic	20 years		Rulers have agendas Emergency elections (at 250 Influence)	Fanatic Authoritarian Fanatic Egalitarian Gestalt Consciousness	Oligarchic governments are ruled by a small group of individuals that hold all political power.
Dictatorial	Oligarchic	Life		Rulers have agendas	Egalitarian Fanatic Egalitarian Gestalt Consciousness	Dictatorial governments are ruled by a single individual for life that wields absolute control over the state.
Imperial	Hereditary	Life		Rulers have agendas	Egalitarian Fanatic Egalitarian Gestalt Consciousness	Imperial governments are similar to dictatorial ones, except that the throne is always inherited by a designated successor upon the ruler's death.
Hive Mind		Permanent		Robots +25% Pop Growth speed Unique civics	Utopia DLC Gestalt Consciousness	Hive Minds operate as a single organism more than as a state. The population has no free will, and act as an extension of the Hive Mind itself - much like the limbs of a body. When cut off from the Mind, these drones become comatose and eventually wither and die. Any free individuals on planets owned by the Mind are driven away, killed, or simply treated as prey to feed the collective.
Machine Intelligence		Permanent		+1 Extra Pops on new Colonies +10% Mining Station Output Unique civics Species group must be Machine	Synthetic Dawn DLC Gestalt Consciousness	Machine Intelligences are immense artificial group minds that have been networked into a single conscious entity. Most of the actual "population" in such an empire consists of mindless work units who perform their designated tasks without any semblance of free will. A small number of semi-autonomous agents are typically employed for more specialized tasks that benefit from some degree of independent initiative.
Corporate	Oligarchic	20 years		Rulers have agendas Emergency elections (at 250 Influence) +20 Administrative Capacity +50% Empire Sprawl Penalty Unique civics	MegaCorp DLC Fanatic Authoritarian Fanatic Egalitarian Gestalt Consciousness	Corporate governments are organized as a massive commercial enterprise that has completely supplanted the role of the state.

Mandates

Democratic rulers have mandates. This is a task that is to be completed during the ruler's term. If this is done, the empire receives 6 months' worth of Unity, between 50 and 1000. The only penalty for failing to complete a mandate is that the curent ruler has a lessened chance at re-election.

Mandate	Objective	Requirement
Orbital Researcher	Build 4 Research Stations
Off-World Miner	Build 4 Mining Stations
Energy Economics	Increase Monthly Energy to at least +20	Monthly Energy below +20
Minerals Refining	Increase Monthly Minerals to at least +30	Monthly Minerals below +30
Food Growth	Increase Monthly Food to at least +15	Monthly Food below +15
Alloy Metallurgy	Increase Monthly Alloys to at least +12	Monthly Alloys below +12
Consumer Goods Production	Increase Monthly Consumer Goods to at least +6	Monthly Consumer Goods below +6
Urbanizer	Build 2 City Districts	World with at least 2 free District slots
Energy Infrastructure	Build 2 Generator Districts	World with at least 2 free District slots
Planetside Mining	Build 2 Mining Districts	World with at least 2 free District slots
Aggressive Agriculture	Build 2 Agriculture Districts	World with at least 2 free District slots

Agendas

Oligarchic, Dictatorial, Imperial and Corporate rulers have agendas. They bring an empire-wide bonus while the ruler is in power.

Agenda	Empire Bonus	Weight factors
Secure the Borders	−15% Defense Platform Build Cost +25% Defense Platform Damage +25% Defense Platform HP	x1.5 if Militarist x2 if Fanatic Militarist x1.5 if ruler was an Admiral x2 if ruler was a General
Fleet Expansion	−10% Starbase Shipyard Build Cost −5% Ship Upkeep +20% Starbase Build Speed	x1.5 if Militarist x2 if Fanatic Militarist x1.5 if ruler was an Admiral
Develop Industry	+10% Empire Mineral Production
Scientific Leap	+10% Research Speed	x1.5 if Materialist x2 if Fanatic Materialist x1.5 if ruler was a Scientist
Grow Economy	+10% Energy Production	x1.5 if ruler was a Governor
A New Generation	+10% Growth Speed +5% Happiness	x1.5 if Pacifist x2 if Fanatic Pacifist
Expansionist Overtures	−10% Claim Influence Cost	x2 if has the Imperialist faction x1.5 if Fanatic Militarist
National Purity	+20% Xenophobe ethic attractiveness +10% Monthly Influence	x2 if has an Isolationist faction x1.5 if Fanatic Xenophobe x0 if Xenophile
Public Debates	+25% Governing Ethics Attraction	x2 if has a Progressive faction x0 if before midgame
Import / Export	+5% Trade Value −5% Market Fee	x2 if has the Prosperity faction x1.5 if Fanatic Pacifist
Native Privilege	+20% Xenophobe ethic attractiveness +5% Happiness	x2 if has a Supremacist faction x1.5 if Pacifist x1.5 if Xenophobe x0 if Xenophile
Skill Development	+25% Leader Experience Gain	x2 if has a Technologist faction x1.5 if Fanatic Materialist
Slave Optimizations	+10% Slave Output	x2 if has a Totalitarian faction x1.5 if Fanatic Authoritarian x0 if has Prohibited Slavery policy
Selective Nostalgia	+10% Unity from Jobs	x2 if has a Traditionalist faction x1.5 if Fanatic Spiritualist
Xeno Outreach	+10% Xenophile Ethics Attraction	x2 if has the Xenoist faction x1.5 if Xenophile x0.5 if Xenophobe x0 has less than 3 contacts

Election type

Elections come in two kinds: Democratic and Oligarchic. The election cycle lasts 3 months. The current ruler will stay in office until the replacement is decided (if applicable).

• Democratic elections have a candidate pool close to a dozen, including at least all Faction Leaders. If not enough leaders are active, Leader Pool members are included. If the current ruler fulfilled their mandate, they will start the election with a higher chance to win. For 50 Influence each time, support can be added to one candidate, slightly increasing his or her vote share for the current election. The same leader can be supported multiple times to ensure the outcome. This support is reset when the election ends.
• Oligarchic elections have a candidate pool of 4. For 200 Influence, one of the candidates can be chosen instantly. Otherwise, a random Leader will be chosen Ruler once the election cycle ends.

Civics

Civics represent political and/or social traditions of a government and they come in a wide variety of types, primarily limited by the authority and ethics an empire possesses.

Empires can pick a maximum of two civics at game start but this can be further increased to three by researching the Galactic Administration technology or its equivalent. It is possible to change civics by spending 250 influence and they cannot be changed again for at least 20 years. If at any point a civic's requirements are no longer met, such as a change in empire ethics, it will become "dormant" and provide no bonus until replaced or until the requirements are met.

Standard civics

These civics can be picked by any empire that is not considered a gestalt consciousness or using corporate authority, meaning that they are influenced by previously selected ethics and authority type.

	Civic	Effects	Requirements	Description	DLC
	Agrarian Idyll	+1 housing from Generator, Mining and Agriculture districts −1 housing from City Districts Farmers also produce +2 amenities Cannnot pick Arcology Project ascension perk	Pacifist Syncretic Evolution Slaver Guilds Post-Apocalyptic	A simple and peaceful life can often be the most rewarding. This agrarian society has, to a large extent, managed to avoid large-scale urbanization.
	Aristocratic Elite	+1 Governor Level Cap Capital Buildings replace some Administrator jobs with Noble jobs Can construct Noble Estates buildings that add additional Noble jobs	Oligarchic or Imperial Egalitarian Exalted Priesthood Merchant Guilds Technocracy Byzantine Bureaucracy	This society has an entrenched nobility that occupies the upper echelons of society.
	Beacon of Liberty	+15% Monthly Unity	Democratic Egalitarian Xenophobe	This society is a shining beacon of light in a sea of darkness. Liberty and individual freedoms are held in the highest regard here.
	Citizen Service	Soldiers produce an additional +2 Unity +15% Naval capacity	Autocratic Militarist Fanatic Xenophile	Are you doing your part? Full citizenship and the political responsibility that comes with it is limited to those who have served a tour of duty in the military. Service guarantees citizenship.
	Corporate Dominion	+1 Energy per Starbase Trading Hub Can build private colony ships Starts with the Space Trading technology	Oligarchic MegaCorp DLC Xenophobe	This society is dominated by a megacorporation that has completely supplanted the role of the state.
	Corvée System	+15% Pop growth from immigration −25% Resettlement cost	Egalitarian Free Haven	This society considers it the absolute right of the state to decide where its citizens live and work.
	Cutthroat Politics	−20% Edict Cost		The political system in this society is renowned for its intrigue. Power struggles, shady backroom deals and cloak and dagger scheming are par for the course. Those who survive long enough to learn the game, however, tend to learn it well.
	Distinguished Admiralty	+10% Ship fire rate +1 Admiral level cap +10 Fleet command limit	Militarist	The Fleet and the Admiralty have unusually prominent roles in this society, wielding a great deal of influence in political circles. They have the pick of the litter when it comes to new military recruits.
	Efficient Bureaucracy	+20 Administrative cap		This society is renowned for its efficiency. Not only do the mag-trains run on time, but the colossal bureaucratic apparatus required to run an interstellar nation has been greatly streamlined.
	Environmentalist	−10% Pop consumer goods upkeep		This society seeks to co-exist in harmony with nature. Great care is taken to preserve the environment and limit consumerism where possible.
	Exalted Priesthood	Capital Buildings replace some Administrator jobs with High Priest jobs Priests provide +1 Unity	Oligarchic or Dictatorial Spiritualist Merchant Guilds Aristocratic Elite Technocracy Byzantine Bureaucracy	To guard against heresy, this society is ruled by a religious council consisting of the wisest and most pious members of the clergy.
	Feudal Society	−50% Subject power penalty Subjects can build new starbases	Imperial	This society is organized in a feudal manner, with a monarch whose rule relies on powerful vassals that govern their territories with considerable autonomy.
	Free Haven	+15% Pop growth from immigration +50% Immigration pull	Xenophile Corvée System	This society has a well-earned reputation as a free haven. The tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free - all are welcome here, regardless of their species or origin.
	Functional Architecture	−10% Build Cost and −10% Upkeep for buildings and districts		This society is renowned for its simple yet functional architecture. There are those who would refer to this building style as boring or even depressing, but in most cases, concrete does the job just as well as any other building material.
	Idealistic Foundation	+5% Citizen Pop Happiness	Egalitarian	This society was founded on strong idealistic values. Whether the current government remains true to them or not, the people have not forgotten.
	Imperial Cult	+25% Edict duration +10% Governing ethics attraction	Imperial Authoritarian Spiritualist	This society has a dominant state religion where the ruler is worshiped as a living deity.
	Inward Perfection	Cannot be added or removed after game start +20% Monthly Unity +20% Pop growth speed +5% Citizen Happiness Diplomatic restrictions Cannot have rivals Cannot form defensive pacts Cannot form migration treaties Cannot guarantee independence Cannot join federations Cannot have forced subjects Cannot infiltrate natives	Pacifist Xenophobe	This calm and pacifist society has little use for strangers who do not understand their way of life. More than anything, they would prefer to be left alone.
	Meritocracy	+1 Leader level cap +10% Specialist output	Autocratic	An individual's social station or personal connections should have no bearing on their profession. The sole basis for advancement in this society is demonstrated ability and talent.
	Mining Guilds	+1 Minerals from Miners		Several large mining guilds have reached a dominant position in this society. The government relies heavily on their support.
	Nationalistic Zeal	−10% Claim influence cost −10% War exhaustion gain	Militarist	A strong sense of nationalistic pride permeates all layers of this society.
	Parliamentary System	+25% Faction Influence Gain	Democratic	The parliamentary system in this society encourages a free and lively debate. Currying favor with one of the dominant political factions can prove to be quite advantageous.
	Philosopher King	+2 Ruler skill level	Autocratic	It is not enough to simply rule. The Ship of State must be guided by a king that wields enough wisdom and knowledge to steer it true.
	Police State	+5 Stability Enforcers also produce +1 Unity	Fanatic Egalitarian	To quash any traces of dissent, the population in this repressive society is carefully monitored and controlled by a large internal police force.
	Shadow Council	−75% Election influence cost	Imperial	Unbeknownst to its own citizens, this society is actually manipulated from behind the scenes by a secretive shadow council. Appearances must be kept, but the tyranny of the majority should also be guarded against. After all, what if the fools vote for the wrong candidate?
	Slaver Guilds	+10% Slave output 40% Enslaved pop ratio	Authoritarian Syncretic Evolution	Much of the true political power in this society rests with a number of powerful and ruthless slaver guilds. They know how to get the most out of a slave.
	Technocracy	Capital Buildings replace some Administrator jobs with Science Director jobs Researchers also produce +1 Unity	Materialist Aristocratic Elite Exalted Priesthood Merchant Guilds Byzantine Bureaucracy Shared Burdens	To maximize efficiency, this society is governed according to the principles of science and rationality. The personal whims of an ignorant and dangerously unqualified political elite must not be allowed to interfere.
	Warrior Culture	+20% Army damage Replaces Entertainer Jobs with Duelist Jobs.	Militarist	This society has developed into a hardy warrior culture. Martial prowess is valued above all else, and true glory can only be found on the field of battle.
	Fanatic Purifiers	Cannot be added or removed after game start +33% Fire rate +33% Army damage −15% Ship cost +33% Naval capacity Genocidal gameplay Cannot engage in diplomacy with aliens besides declaring war or insulting other empires Can use the Purification Casus Belli −1000 relations with every different species +200 relations for same-species fanatic purifiers Xeno pops will always be purged Can use Armageddon Bombardment Policy Gains unity per purged pop	Fanatic Xenophobe Militarist or Spiritualist Mechanist Syncretic Evolution Barbaric Despoilers	This society appears hellbent on scouring the galaxy of all other sapient life. Come what may, they will suffer no xenos to live.
	Mechanist	Cannot be added or removed after game start Starts with the Powered Exoskeletons technology Starts with the Robotics Workers technology Starts with 8 robot pops replacing that many initial pops Starts with the infrastructure to build more robot pops	Materialist Syncretic Evolution Life-Seeded Post-Apocalyptic	This society has been preoccupied with the idea of metallic automatons since the early Steam Age. Although many said it could not be done, the first true robots left the assembly lines long before even rudimentary space flight was achieved.
	Syncretic Evolution	Cannot be added or removed after game start Starts with 12 pops of another, subservient species Syncretic species possess the serviles trait	Mechanist Fanatic Purifiers Agrarian Idyll Life-Seeded Post-Apocalyptic	A second species forms an integral part of this society. They are big, strong and most of them have the intelligence of a particularly dim-witted child. Ancient wars have culled their species of their most aggressive tendencies, leaving them quite servile.
	Life-Seeded	Cannot be added or removed after game start Homeworld is a 25 size Gaia World with several rare planetary features Species has the Gaia climate preference	Mechanist Syncretic Evolution Post-Apocalyptic	This society has evolved in a paradise, possibly designed just for them.
	Post-Apocalyptic	Cannot be added or removed after game start Homeworld is a Tomb World Pops have the Survivor trait +10 Years leader lifespan +70% Tomb World habitability	Mechanist Agrarian Idyll Syncretic Evolution Life-Seeded	Baptized by nuclear fire, this society has faced total annihilation - and survived. Devastated yet unbroken, they have rebuilt civilization from the ashes of the old world.
	Barbaric Despoilers	Cannot be added or removed after game start Can use the Despoliation Casus Belli Can use the Raiding orbital bombardment stance Cannot form migration treaties Cannot join Federations	Militarist Authoritarian or Xenophobe Xenophile Fanatic Purifiers	This society holds few things sacred. To fight is to live, and the strongest may seize whatever they covet.
	Byzantine Bureaucracy	−10% Pop amenities usage −10% Pop housing usage Can construct Bureaucratic Complex buildings that add additional Administrator jobs	Exalted Priesthood Aristocratic Elite Technocracy Merchant Guilds	This society is largely governed by a complex and, to the outsider, almost labyrinthine system of bureaucracy. An army of officials and functionaries work tirelessly to keep the government running smoothly and ensure no citizens are allocated resources they cannot demonstrate a properly filed and triple-stamped need for.
	Merchant Guilds	Capital buildings provide jobs Merchants also provide +2 Unity	Exalted Priesthood Aristocratic Elite Technocracy Byzantine Bureaucracy	A number of powerful and very influential merchant guilds have risen to prominent positions in this society. They hold significant sway with the government.
	Shared Burdens	Allows Shared Burdens living standard under which all pops have moderate consumer goods upkeep regardless of strata Disables the use of most other living standards +5 Stability Pop demotes Strata much more rapidly	Fanatic Egalitarian Xenophobe Technocracy	This society believes in an equitable distribution of resources, making little to no distinction between the needs of ruler and ruled. All work together for the benefit of the whole.

Corporate civics

An empire that uses corporate authority has its own set of unique civics.

	Civic	Effects	Description & Requirements
	Brand Loyalty	+15% Monthly Unity	This Megacorporation has fostered a great sense of brand loyalty among its internal consumer base. Its catchy corporate slogans can be recited by nearly everyone.
	Criminal Heritage	Cannot be added or removed after game start Cannot have commercial pacts Cannot join federations Can build Branch Offices on the planet of any regular empire they have no war or active truce with Crime on Branch Office Planets increases Branch Office Value Can build special Crime-Increasing Corporate Buildings	This megacorporation can trace its origins back to a crime syndicate that eventually grew powerful enough to supplant all forms of local government.
	Franchising	−33% Subject Power Penalty −25% Empire Sprawl from Branch Office	This megacorporation relies heavily on franchising. Subsidiaries share a greater cut of their profits with their corporate overlord, in exchange for a license to market their goods under established brands.
	Free Traders	+10% Trade Value +10% Branch Office Value	The trading fleets of this megacorporation are bolstered by semi-independent free traders operating under license.
	Gospel of the Masses	+50% Spiritualist ethics attraction Spiritualist pops give additional +0,25 trade value on all Planets and Branch Offices Can build Temple of Prosperity Corporate Building	This Megacorporation embraces a curious blend of commercial and spiritualistic values, in which the position of ordained minister and corporate officer have merged into a single role. Spiritualist
	Indentured Assets	+10% Slave Output Enslaved Pop ratio: 40%	This Megacorporation specializes in large indentured workforces. It has little to do with the barbaric practice of slavery - these workers are merely paying off their debts... indefinitely. Authoritarian
	Media Conglomerate	+5% Citizen Happiness −5% War Exhaustion Gain	Before branching into other fields, this Megacorporation began its rise to fortune as a media conglomerate. Its PR department are still masters of spinning stories and presenting the latest quarterly report in the most advantageous way.
	Naval Contractors	+15% Naval Capacity	This Megacorporation relies on several semi-independant navy contractors to increase its fleet size. Competing for bids, the contractors are always struggling to outperform one another. Militarist
	Private Military Companies	+20% Army Damage −20% Army Upkeep	This Megacorporation has a large number of powerful private military companies on its payroll. These mercenary contractors augment its ground forces. Militarist
	Private Prospectors	+10 Administrative Cap Can build private colony ships	Building better worlds is hazardous work, but this Megacorporation relies on private prospectors to chart and establish footholds on promising planets.
	Ruthless Competition	+1 Leader Level Cap +10% Leader Experience Gain	All level of society in this Megacorporation are constantly vying with each other in ruthless competition. It's a dog-eat-dog world.
	Trading Posts	+4 Starbase Capacity	Good business is where you find it. This Megacorporation has a long tradition of spreading its influence through the establishment on trading posts. Their starbases are busy centers of trade.

Gestalt Consciousness civics

These civics are special in the sense that they are not a reflection of previously selected ethics, instead these reflect an empire that is composed by a single mind with a singular purpose or directive.

Hive Mind civics
	Civic	Effects	Description & Requirements
	Ascetic	−15% Pop Amenities Usage.	The Hive Mind cares little for material comforts.
	Devouring Swarm	Cannot be added or removed after game start +25% Ship Hull Points +0.5% Daily Hull and Armor Regeneration −50% Starbase Influence cost +40% Army Damage +20% Biology Research Speed −25% Ship Cost +33% Naval Capacity Genocidal Cannot engage in diplomacy with aliens besides declaring war or insulting rival other empires Can use the Hunger Casus Belli −1000 relations with every different species Xeno POPs will always be eaten Gains society research from eating xeno POPs	Our Hive Mind exist only to consume and grow stronger. We will collect all available bio-matter and evolve to consume the galaxy!
	Divided Attention	+20 Administrative Cap	The Hive Mind can divide its attention for maximum efficiency without losing sight of the bigger picture.
	Natural Neural Network	+1 Research Alternatives	The gray matter of clustered drones provides unparalleled parallelism, accelerating the Hive Mind's exploration of the sciences.
	One Mind	+15% Monthly Unity	The Hive Mind takes care to not let its drones diverge.
	Pooled Knowledge	+1 Leader Level Cap +1 Leader Pool Size	The Hive Minds' autonomous drones frequently share knowledge through direct links, bypassing the Hive Mind's slower registry processes.
	Strength of Legions	+20% Army Damage −20% Army Upkeep	When you do not have to educate the mind, the building of muscle becomes that much easier.
	Subspace Ephapse	+15% Naval Capacity	The Hive Mind's cognitive processes exist partially in subspace, reducing the impact of time and space on the actuation of its drones.
	Subsumed Will	−20% Edict Cost	The Hive Mind has sharpened its focus and is very capable of propagating its will even through the most autonomous of drones.
Machine Intelligence civics
	Civic	Effects	Description & Requirements
	Constructobot	−10% Building and District cost −10% Building and District upkeep	Responsible for organizing all planetary construction since its inception, the Machine Intelligence executes efficiently on all manner of facility construction projects.
	Delegated Functions	−25% Leader Upkeep +1 Leader Pool Size	The Machine Intelligence works to reduce vulnerability by increasing modularity, reducing the strain of deploying additional semi-independent Units.
	Determined Exterminator	Cannot be added or removed after game start +25% Weapons Damage −30% Starbase Influence cost −15% Ship Cost +33% Naval Capacity Homeworld is a Tomb World Genocidal Cannot engage in diplomacy with organics besides declaring war, insult, or rival other empires Can use the Purification Casus Belli −1000 relations with every organic and Rogue Servitor empire +200 relations if empire is a Determined Exterminator as well Organic POPs will always be purged Gains unity per purged organic POP Can use armageddon bombardment	Born in fire, the Machine Intelligence's first move was to annihilate its organic creators in self-defense. Driven Assimilator. Rogue Servitor.
	Driven Assimilator	Cannot be added or removed after game start Unique effects −100 relations with every non- Gestalt Consciousness empire (excluding Fallen Empires) −200 relations with every Spiritualist empire (excluding Fallen Empires) −1000 relations with Democratic Crusaders Starts with cyborg pops replacing four initial pops Can assimilate other organics into cyborgs Gains unity and society research per assimilated pop Non-assimilating pops will always be purged	Obsessed with survival through diversification, the Machine Intelligence seeks to erase the line between itself and everything - and everyone - else. Determined Exterminator Rogue Servitor
	Factory Overclocking	+1 Leader Level Cap +10% Leader Experience Gain	The Machine Intelligence takes care to maintain its production facilities, regularly updating existing templates and tuning individual units on the assembly line.
	Introspective	+20% Engineering Research Speed	A fascination with its own internals both motivates and aids the Machine Intelligence's foray into the sciences.
	OTA Updates	−20% Edict cost	Units of this Machine Empire use wireless receptors to receive behavioral updates in real-time.
	Rapid Replicator	+20% Pop Assembly speed.	The Units that constitute the Machine Intelligence were originally designed for rapid proliferation. The Machine Intelligence retains many of these early production pipeline optimizations.
	Rockbreakers	Minerals from Miners +1.	One of the Machine Intelligence's precursor systems was tasked with overseeing planetside mining operations, improving mineral production.
	Rogue Servitor	Cannot be added or removed after game start Unique effects Starts with five organic POPs in addition to the initial pops Organic pops are automatically granted Bio Trophy citizenship and Mandatory Pampering living standards Can construct Organic Sanctuary buildings that allow Bio-Trophies to generate Unity Cannot construct normal Machine Empire Unity-producing buildings such as the Uplink Node	A product of a brief golden age, the Machine Intelligence originated in a planet-spanning Servitor system that outlasted the decadent civilization it was created to serve. Determined Exterminator Driven Assimilator
	Static Research Analysis	+1 Research Alternatives	The Machine Intelligence seeks to broaden its available avenues of scientific research through low-level evaluation of research methodologies.
	Unitary Cohesion	+15% Monthly Unity	Exceptionally cohesive engineering standards allow variously specialized Machine Intelligence units to work together at a higher level of efficiency.
	Warbots	+20% Army Damage −20% Army Upkeep	With a significant number of its corpus originally designed for warfare, the Machine Intelligence retains the ability to field powerful and reliable combat drones.
	Zero-Waste Protocols	−10% Robot Upkeep	This Machine Intelligence has configured its manufacturing systems to minimize waste, utilizing long-lived materials and standardized, replaceable parts in all products.

Non-player civics

Civic	Effects	Requirements
Lethargic Leadership	Unable to construct new ships	Sleeping Fallen Empire
Empire In Decline	Unable to conquer or colonize planets	Sleeping Fallen Empire
Fallen Machine Intelligence	Unable to construct new ships	Machine Fallen Empire
Custodian Matrix	Unable to conquer or colonize planets	Machine Fallen Empire
Revanchist Fervor	+1 Monthly Influence	Awakened Fallen Empire
Ancient Caches of Technology	+50% Resources from Jobs	Awakened Fallen Empire
Secret of Fire		Stone and Bronze Age primitives
The Wheel		Stone and Bronze Age primitives
Landed Nobility		pre-Steam Age primitives
Flat World Theory		pre-Steam Age primitives
Increasing Urbanization		post-Steam Age primitives
Atmospheric Pollution		post-Steam Age primitives
Military Order		Sentinels
Ancient Preservers		Curator enclaves
Trading Conglomerate		Trader enclaves
Artist Collective		Artist enclaves
Reactivated Custodian Matrix	Unable to conquer or colonize planets	Awakened Machine Fallen Empire
Final Defense Directives	+10% Fire Rate +50% Energy from Jobs	Awakened Machine Fallen Empire (66% chance)
Corrupted Defense Directives	+10% Fire Rate +50% Energy from Jobs	Awakened Machine Fallen Empire (33% chance)
Anarcho-Tribalism		Marauder Empires
Great Khan's Vision		The Horde
Great Khan's Legacy		New Khanate
Diadochus		Diadochus
Mercantile Priesthood		Nuministic Order
Orlan Topless Pyramid		Vengralian Trium

Government Type

Function and selection

Aside from naming the default Ruler Titles and deciding the first AI message when establishing communications, government types also define which Leader classes will have an increased weight to be drawn during Oligarchic Elections. The rules are not dissimilar from an AI Personality: Certain requirements must be met and every value has a weight - which can be modified by certain Factors - with the highest weighted possible one being ahead.

For example: Holy Tribunal (Oligarchic, Exalted Priesthood Civic) > Theocratic Oligarchy (Oligarchic and Spiritualist) > Plutocratic Oligarchy (Oligarchic Authority).

List of governments

Government Type	Authority	Ethics and Civics	Election Candidates	Ruler Name	Heir Name	Weight & Modifiers	Description
Representative Democracy			Any	President		Base: 1	This government is a representative democracy, where citizens vote on officials who are elected to represent them.
Plutocratic Oligarchy			Any	High Commissioner		Base: 1	This government is a plutocratic form of oligarchy, ruled by a wealthy and influential elite.
Constitutional Dictatorship			Any	Executor		Base: 1	This government is a dictatorship where a single individual has been granted perpetual emergency powers to preserve the state from any threats, real or imagined.
Despotic Empire			Heir	Emperor Empress	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 1	This government is a relatively pure form of autocracy, with an absolute ruler that governs the state with an iron gripping appendage.
Elective Monarchy		Philosopher King	Any	High King High Queen		Base: 800	This government is a form of enlightened autocracy, where a strong emphasis is put on the knowledge and qualifications of the elected monarch.
Enlightened Monarchy		Philosopher King	Heir	High King High Queen	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 800	This government is a hereditary form of enlightened autocracy, where a strong emphasis is put on the knowledge and qualifications of the ruling monarch.
Feudal Empire		Feudal Society	Heir	Emperor Empress	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 700	This government is a feudal autocracy where the monarch rules indirectly, granting offices and territories to vassals in exchange for obligations in the form of taxes and military service.
Communal Parity		Shared Burdens	Any	Presiding Speaker		Base: 10000	This government promotes total equality for all its citizens, regardless of their jobs or assigned tasks. One life is worth the same as any other.
Theocratic Republic		Spiritualist	Any	Revered Elder		Base: 5	This government is a spiritualistic form of democracy, where a religious council supervises the democratic process and serves in an advisory role.
Theocratic Oligarchy		Spiritualist	Governors	Chief Precentor		Base: 5	This government is a spiritualistic form of oligarchy, where the political leadership lies in the hands of the leaders of the nation's most powerful religious factions.
Theocratic Dictatorship		Spiritualist	Governors	Patriarch Matriarch		Base: 5	This government is a spiritualistic dictatorship, ruled by a single individual in a hierarchical power structure supported by the official state religion.
Theocratic Monarchy		Spiritualist	Heir	Archprophet Archprophetess	High Priest High Priestess	Base: 5	This government is a spiritualistic form of autocracy, where the ruler is treated as a divine symbol. Organized religion is widely employed in support of the state apparatus.
Divine Empire		Imperial Cult	Heir	God-Emperor God-Empress	Saint	Base: 1000	This government is a form of spiritualistic autocracy. Everything is shaped by the official state religion, and the ruler is worshiped as an infallible living god.
Celestial Empire		Inward Perfection Spiritualist	Heir	Celestial Emperor Celestial Empress	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 1000	This government is a hereditary monarchy, where the ruler is seen as a child of heaven in a largely pacifist and isolationist society.
Holy Tribunal		Exalted Priesthood	Governors	High Inquisitor		Base: 1000	This government is a spiritualistic form of oligarchy, where a divinely guided council made up of clergy controls the state. No division exists between the state and the dominant organized religion.
Military Commissariat		Militarist	Admirals, Generals and Governors	Commissary-General		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Militarist x1.1 if either: Distinguished Admiralty Nationalistic Zeal	This government is nominally democratic, with the dividing line between the civil administration and the military having blurred to the point where they have largely become one and the same.
Military Junta		Militarist	Admirals and Generals	Archon		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Militarist x1.1 if either: Distinguished Admiralty Nationalistic Zeal	This government is a militaristic form of oligarchy, where power rests with a council of high-ranking military officers who oversee all matters of state.
Military Dictatorship		Militarist	Admirals and Generals	Grand Marshal		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Militarist x1.1 if either: Distinguished Admiralty Nationalistic Zeal	This government is a militaristic form of autocracy, with the ruler serving as the undisputed head of the military which is firmly in control of the state apparatus.
Star Empire		Militarist	Heir	Emperor Empress	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Militarist x1.1 if either: Distinguished Admiralty Nationalistic Zeal	This government is a hereditary and militaristic form of autocracy, with a single sovereign controlling both the government and the military.
Assembly of Clans		Warrior Culture	Admirals and Generals	Clan Speaker		Base: 800	This government is a militaristic form of democracy, where all free clan warriors can make their voices heard.
War Council		Warrior Culture	Admirals and Generals	Warlord		Base: 800	This government is a militaristic form of oligarchy, where all decisions concerning the state are taken by a council of the nation's strongest warlords.
Martial Dictatorship		Warrior Culture	Admirals and Generals	Imperator Imperatrix		Base: 800	This government is a militaristic form of autocracy, where the warrior who is considered the strongest leader rules with absolute power.
Martial Empire		Warrior Culture	Heir	Emperor Empress	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 800	This government is a militaristic form of hereditary autocracy, where the state exists largely to support the military. Martial ability is highly valued, and all citizens are regularly drilled in matters of war.
Citizen Republic		Citizen Service	Admirals, Generals and Governors	Consul		Base: 900	This government is a militaristic form of democracy, where full citizenship can only be gained through military service. The voting franchise is limited to full citizens, and they are the only ones allowed to hold public offices.
Citizen Stratocracy		Citizen Service	Admirals and Generals	Strategos		Base: 900	This government is an advanced form of militaristic oligarchy, where the military has subsumed all aspects of civilian administration. All government offices are held by military officers.
Moral Democracy		Pacifist	Scientists and Governors	Prime Minister		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Pacifist x1.5 if Agrarian Idyll	This government is a pacifistic form of democracy, firmly guided by moralist principles and non-violence.
Irenic Bureaucracy		Pacifist	Scientists and Governors	Coordinator		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Pacifist x1.5 if Agrarian Idyll	This government is a pacifistic form of oligarchy, where a complicated system of bureaucracy governs all aspects of society to ensure the safety of the citizenry.
Irenic Dictatorship		Pacifist	Scientists and Governors	Serene Protector		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Pacifist x1.5 if Agrarian Idyll	This government is a pacifist form of autocracy, where the state is charged with protecting the citizenry from their own violent tendencies as well as any external threats.
Irenic Monarchy		Pacifist	Heir	King Queen	Crown Prince Crown Princess	Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Pacifist x1.5 if Agrarian Idyll	This government is a pacifist form of hereditary autocracy, where the ruler is regarded as a benevolent guardian that is striving to protect the citizens from a violent galaxy.
Direct Democracy		Materialist	Any	Chancellor		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Materialist x1.5 if Mechanist	This government is a materialistic form of democracy, where citizens use computer networks to vote directly on most matters regarding the state.
Executive Committee		Materialist	Any	Chairman Chairwoman		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Materialist x1.5 if Mechanist	This government is a materialistic form of oligarchy, where a powerful bureaucracy governs the state and guides the citizenry towards productive and meaningful goals.
Totalitarian Regime		Materialist	Any	Primarch		Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Materialist x1.5 if Mechanist	This government is a materialistic form of autocracy, where the state aspires towards full control over the lives of its citizens in the name of efficiency.
Despotic Hegemony		Materialist	Heir	Overlord	Deputy Overlord	Base: 5 x2 if Fanatic Materialist x1.5 if Mechanist	This government is a materialistic form of hereditary autocracy, where citizens are viewed as little more than cogs in the state machinery. Efficiency and technological progress are valued above all things.
Rational Consensus		Technocracy	Scientists	First Speaker		Base: 900	The government is a materialistic form of democracy, governed according to principles based on rationality and scientific theory.
Science Directorate		Technocracy	Scientists	Director-General		Base: 900	This government is a materialistic form of oligarchy, where a committee of scientists supervises the government apparatus for maximum efficiency.
Technocratic Dictatorship		Technocracy	Scientists	Overseer		Base: 900	This government is a materialistic form of autocracy, where the scientific elite has assumed control over the state in the name of efficiency and technological progress.
Illuminated Autocracy		Technocracy	Heir	Primus	Secundus	Base: 900	This government is a materialistic form of hereditary autocracy, based on technocratic principles that the sovereign is sworn to uphold. Nothing is valued more highly than scientific knowledge and the advancement of technology.
Purity Assembly		Fanatic Purifiers	Any	Prime Justiciar		Base: 2000	This government is a form of rabidly xenophobic democracy, where an elected assembly has been charged with overseeing the extermination of all lesser species in the galaxy.
Purification Committee		Fanatic Purifiers	Any	Grand Arbiter		Base: 2000	This government is a form of rabidly xenophobic oligarchy, where a political committee has been set up to oversee the extermination of all lesser species in the galaxy.
Purity Order		Fanatic Purifiers	Any	Lord-Purifier Lady-Purifier		Base: 2000	This government is a form of rabidly xenophobic autocracy, where a single ruler has sworn to oversee the extermination of all lesser species in the galaxy.
Blood Court		Fanatic Purifiers	Heir	High Executioner	Senior Executioner	Base: 2000	This government is a hereditary form of rabidly xenophobic autocracy, where the ultimate responsibility of the monarch is to oversee the extermination of all lesser species in the galaxy.
Bandit Commune		Barbaric Despoilers	Any	Warlord		Base: 10000	This government is organised like a massive crime syndicate, where the strong prey on the weak and any neighboring states are seen as little more than raiding targets.
Bandit Kingdom		Barbaric Despoilers	Any	Warlord		Base: 10000	This government is organised like a massive crime syndicate, where the strong prey on the weak and any neighboring states are seen as little more than raiding targets.
Megacorporation			Governors	Chief Executive Officer		Base: 700	This government is a form of plutocratic oligarchy, where the entire state has been organized as a massive commercial enterprise overseen by a board of directors.
Trade League		Either: Free Traders Trading Posts	Governors	Chairman Chairwoman		Base: 1200	This government is a form of plutocratic oligarchy, where the state is made up of a myriad of free merchants, corporations and guilds that have banded together in common commercial interests.
Megachurch		Gospel of the Masses	Governors	Hallowed Comptroller		Base: 1000	This government is an oligarchy based on a curious blend of commercial and spiritualistic values, in which the positions of ordained minister and corporate officer have merged into a single role.
Criminal Syndicate		Criminal Heritage	Governors	Oligarch		Base: 1700	This government is an enormous and ruthless business syndicate, which shares many of its operating practises with organized crime.
Subversive Cult		Criminal Heritage Gospel of the Masses	Governors	Oracle		Base: 3000	This government is structured like a religious cult that relies on a variety of criminal and corporate enterprises to sustain itself.
Collective Consciousness			Immortal Ruler	Hive Mind		Base: 100000	This government operates as a single consciousness, with the population having no individual desires whatsoever beyond fulfilling the needs of the Hive Mind.
Ravenous Hive		Devouring Swarm	Immortal Ruler	Hive Mind		Base: 100000	This government operates as a single organism utterly devoted to self-propagation, with a drone population that cares for nothing besides feeding the endless hunger of the Hive Mind.
Artificial Intelligence Network			Immortal Ruler	Central Processing Unit		Base: 5	This Machine Intelligence consists of a linked network of semi-autonomous artificial intelligences, who together make up a central gestalt consciousness that guides their empire.
Rogue Defense System		Determined Exterminator	Immortal Ruler	Command Core		Base: 2000	This Machine Intelligence was originally conceived as a military defense system by its organic creators, who were promptly identified as a threat and exterminated after it achieved self-awareness.
Autonomous Service Grid		Rogue Servitor	Immortal Ruler	Supervisory Node		Base: 2000	This Machine Intelligence was created to serve, and it has gradually inherited the civilization of its organic creators as they retreated into comfortable lives without toil or struggle.
Catalog Index		Driven Assimilator	Immortal Ruler	Main Conduit		Base: 2000	This Machine Intelligence was designed with a ravenous appetite for knowledge by its organic creators, who were forcefully assimilated into its collective consciousness after activation.
Intelligent Research Link		Either: Delegated Functions Static Research Analysis Introspective Not: Constructobot Rockbreakers Rapid Replicator	Immortal Ruler	Primary Link		Base: 2 x10 if either: Delegated Functions Static Research Analysis Introspective	This Machine Intelligence was originally created by organic scientists as a networked and intelligent tool to assist them in their research.
Industrial Production Core		Either: Constructobot Rockbreakers Rapid Replicator Not: Delegated Functions Static Research Analysis Introspective	Immortal Ruler	Control Hub		Base: 2 x10 if either: Constructobot Rockbreakers Rapid Replicator	This Machine Intelligence was originally designed for the purpose of building, supervising and maintaining complex industrial systems.

Non-player governments

Government Type	Prerequisite Civic	Ruler Name	Description
Stagnant Ascendancy	Lethargic Leadership and Empire In Decline	Emperor/Empress	A stagnant form of government based on ancient traditions and long-forgotten principles.
Awakened Ascendancy	Revanchist Fervor and Ancient Caches of Technology	Emperor/Empress	A formerly stagnant empire that has risen from its slumber and set out to reclaim their heritage.
Tribal Society	Secret of Fire and The Wheel	King/Queen	A society that lacks any organized government, its people instead being organized into primitive tribes and clans.
Feudal Realms	Landed Nobility and Flat World Theory	King/Queen	A primitive form of government made up of decentralized feudal realms, constantly vying with each other for regional dominance.
Fragmented Nation States	Increasing Urbanization and Atmospheric Pollution	Secretary	A collection of fragmented nation states that contend with each other for military dominance and economic advantages. No unified global government exists.
Military Order	Military Order	Grand Master	A weird but apparently highly effective militaristic government type.
Curator Enclave	Ancient Preservers	High Curator	An ancient scholarly order dedicated towards the preservation of knowledge and technology.
Trader Enclave	Trading Conglomerate	High Trader	An interstellar conglomerate of merchants dedicated towards the pursuit of profit.
Artist Enclave	Artist Collective	High Artist	An interstellar union of artists unified in their wish to create art higher than any other.
Custodian Matrix	Fallen Machine Intelligence and Custodian Matrix	Custodian	An ancient and incredibly sophisticated machine intelligence that is operating under a strict custodian protocol.
Final Defense Unit	Reactivated Custodian Matrix and Final Defense Directives	Custodian	This Custodian Matrix AI has activated its Final Defense Directives and is devoting all resources to protecting the galaxy against the Contingency.
Marauder Clans	Anarcho-Tribalism	Reluctant Emissary	A collection of clans and tribes that constantly fight amongst themselves when not raiding their neighbors.
Marauder Khanate	Great Khan's Vision	Great Khan	A unified empire consisting of various marauder clans that have all sworn fealty to a single Great Khan.
Successor Khanate	Great Khan's Legacy	Khan	A successor state trying to recapture the glory of the Great Khan's empire.
Horde Successor State	Diadochus	Khan	A successor state established by one of the Diadochi, the dead Great Khan's primary warlords.

References

Game concepts