Oligarchy
The supreme Minbari authority is the Grey Council. Comprised of representatives from each of the three castes, the Worker, the Warrior, and the Religious, it disseminates rulings affecting every aspect of Minbari politics and culture. In order not to show preference to any area of Minbar, the Grey Council rules from space, aboard the War Cruiser Valen'Tha. A new member of the Grey Council is chosen by a majority vote of the rest of the members.

Much of the day-to-day work of the Federation is done by the Worker Caste, whose administrators and technicians devote their lives to the service of the Minbari. Political ambition is very rare among their people, so posts are usually granted by merit, not political ties. As such, there is very little in the way of political intrigue in the routine levels of Minbari government.

The Minbari government recently has undergone a massive change. Friction arose between the Religious Caste and the Warrior Caste when the Grey Council halted the Earth-Minbari War. Caste resentments worsened when Delenn dissolved the Grey Council during the opening days of the Shadow War. When the Shadow War concluded in 2262, civil war broke out between the Religious and Warrior Castes. The war ended abruptly when a new Grey Council was formed.

Since its inception a millennia ago until 2261 when the Council was broken, the Grey Council was made up of 3 representatives each Caste. The new Grey Council is composed of 5 representatives from the Worker caste and only 2 members of the other castes, reflecting the fact that the Worker Caste by and large did not participate in the civil war.

The Minbari do not worship any gods, rather they believe that the universe itself is sentient. To them, the soul is a spark, a piece of the universe. The universe has created life in an attempt to understand itself. The Minbari also believe in reincarnation.

In the past, the Minbari worshipped gods. One of these was Valaria, an incarnation of light and order. Minbari religious tradition retains them as "Aspects of the Universe." The Minbari also venerate prophets, people who were guided by a higher power. The greatest of these was Valen, not only a prophet but an important figure in Minbari history. He founded the Grey Council and restructured Minbari society, bringing peace between the three castes. He also codified the laws and customs that rule Minbar to this day.

First and foremost, a Minbari is defined by her or his Caste. From early in life, Minbari are trained in the rituals and traditions of the Caste and the clan he or she was born into, as well as those. Upon reaching maturity, the character of a Minbari's actions reflects equally strongly on her or his Caste and clan as they do on the actual individual.

It is possible for a Minbari to change Castes, change clans, or both. The process is often long and always difficult. Tradition is the most powerful force in Minbari culture. Almost every Minbari clan has a tradition of service to one of the Castes. Some clans allow their member to join another Caste. Many don't. Despite this, all clans and all three Castes have long-established rituals for entering and exiting. The difficulty of these rituals reflects the fact that the Minbari initiating them is going against tradition and serves to make sure the Minbari is truly "following the calling of his heart".

The Warrior Caste is responsible for the safekeeping of the Minbari people. They are in constant training to be prepared for the day they may be needed. Minbari warriors, whether in space or on the ground, are some of the most accomplished fighters known.

The Religious Caste is responsible for the spiritual care and intellectual development of the Minbari people. They are the teachers and priests, singers and dreamers of the race and guardians of the words of the prophets.

The Worker Caste is responsible for maintaining the physical infrastructure of the Federation. They are the builders, planners and scientists.

By tradition, each caste governs itself, answering only to the Grey Council. As was graphically shown in the Minbari Civil War, the Castes are still extremely independent. Common allegiance to the Grey Council is what holds Minbari Society together.

There are literally thousands of Minbari clans. Tradition limits the size of a clan, so larger clans are themselves divided into sub-clans, called "fains." The clan is a Minbari's extended family. Responsibility for guidance and discipline of older children is shared throughout the clan. It is normal for members of different clans to intermarry. Marriage is not uncommon even between castes. When such a marriage takes place, tradition dictates that the couple join the bride's clan and that any children are raised according to the rituals and traditions of that clan. As with other areas of Minbari life, there are rituals for choosing a different clan.

The Warrior Caste commands all military operations for the Minbari. By tradition, all three castes own and use cruisers and fighters. This is a legacy of the days before the coming of Valen, when the castes fought among themselves. The Warrior Caste coordinates the fleet and provides direction in times of war. They must respect and follow the orders of the Grey Council and its leader, but act autonomously once they receive this guidance.

The Minbari fleet is composed almost completely of Sharlin War Cruisers and Nial fighters. To the Minbari mind, little else is needed. Minbari warships and fighters possess a unique "stealth" technology which makes them undetectable to many scanning and targeting systems. This system has proved devastating to the few opponents who have been unlucky enough to fight the Minbari since its perfection about 250 years ago3.

The Minbari were the only Younger Race to participate in the Shadow War of 1000 years ago. During that war, their leader Valen formed a group of warrior-scouts independent of any Caste called the Anla'Shok or Rangers to fight in the war against the Shadows and watch for their return. During the last few years before the Shadow War of 2260-61, the Rangers expanded their number, even training Human Rangers. The Religious Caste and the Vorlons also supported them by combining Minbari and Vorlon technology to create the White Star-class ships the Rangers used in the Shadow War. When the Interstellar Alliance was formed, the Rangers and the Whitestars became a part of the Alliance to help create the peace the Alliance was built for.