The First Borg

I'd like to read the history of the Borg. Who were the first Borg? Before the implants, did they have the same ethos of cultural and technological assimilation? Did the Borg ever value independent expression on the level of single organisms? Did any one group design the Borg hive mind system or did it evolve over time?

The Borg were a race considered to be "evil" in the Star Trek universe largely because they did not value autonomy individual sentient beings. Naturally, the species, like humans, which were predisposed to act as individuals would fear and oppose the Borg. I can't recall what else the Borg did which would merit being called evil.

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