There were only four at the beginning, and no, there weren't any fights. At least not the imperialistic kind. It's not all sunshine and roses, but we're fortunate that our first off-Earth contact were the Vulcans, and they taught us about our responsibilities if we were going to branch out into the universe. We have our disagreements, but the Federation is strict about people who violate our principles.
...I take it that where you come from, the government isn't very trustworthy.