Treaty of Farixen

From Mass Effect Wiki

The Treaty of Farixen is a treaty limiting the number of dreadnoughts among the different Citadel races. At the Farixen Naval Conference, the Council races agreed to fix a ratio of dreadnought construction between themselves due to their destructive potential. At the top of the pyramid is the peacekeeping turian fleet which makes up most of the Citadel Fleet, then the asari and the salarians. Council associate races, like the human Systems Alliance, are at the bottom.

The ratio of turian to Council to associate dreadnoughts is 5:3:1, which basically means for every five dreadnoughts the turians build, the asari and salarians are allowed three, and the humans one. Signing the Treaty of Farixen is a requirement for any race wishing to open an embassy on the Citadel.

[edit] Trivia

The Treaty of Farixen is almost certainly based off the Washington Naval Treaty, signed by the U.S., Great Britain, Japan, France, and Italy in 1922, limiting these states to capital ship tonnage ratios of 5:5:3:1:1, respectively. It was an attempt at maintaining the balance of power and the peace after World War I. The treaty ended with the advent of World War II.

An unintended consequence of the Washington Naval Treaty was an increase in development of aircraft carriers, which faced less restrictions than other vessels. There appears to be a parallel in Mass Effect in the development of carriers by the Systems Alliance. While carriers are as large as dreadnoughts, and their use in combat is seen as a major innovation, they are not restricted by the Treaty of Farixen.