Current Events > Political analysis of all Star Wars factions (and why they all suck)

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Galactic Republic: They are the epitome of establishment politics. I'd say they are the equivalent of the U.S. Democratic and Republican establishment. Their politicians care nothing for substantive policy, and would rather just maintain their power and previleged positions. During the prequels we can see how many of their citizens think the Galactic Senate is excessively burocratic, inefficient, and corrupt. The prequels also show us various examples of social inequality in their worlds. The capital of Coruscant is the main example, with increasing numbers of slums the further down you go. If the Republic's capital is this bad, imagine how much worse the situation is in their outer rim territories. The prequels also shows us this. We know that the Republic is aware that various worlds are ruled by Hutt crime lords who deal in literal slavery and they don't give a crap.

Final Verdict: Centrism

CIS (Separatists): Their leadership represent what is politics at their worse: big financial interests at the top of power. Most of the Separatists' leaders are also CEO's of huge banks and weapon manufactorers (Trade Federation, Techno Union, Banking Clan, etc). I believe that most Galactic citizens who have sympathy for the Separatists do so more out of frustration with the Republic's massive apathy and corruption, and not for the Separatists' particular agenda. They are governed by oligarchs and plutocrats. Their leadership coudn't care less about social welfare and just want tariff and tax relief to enrich themselves even more. The Phantom Menace does a very good job at showing us this.

Final verdict: Libertarian Right

Galactic Empire: This one is the easiest and most obvious one to analyse. The Empire is clearly inspired by fascist ideology, unchecked imperialism, expansionism, and militarism. Some scenes also make it clear that they are not very kind to aliens, and some Imperial worlds outright use alien slave labor. Their modern world counterparts are obviously the Hitler and Mussolini regimes, made even more obvious by the word "stormtroopers" used to designate their infantry. While on one hand they are free of their predecessor's rampant burocracy, the Empire rules by instilling fear and terror upon their own citizens instead, with touches of human supremacist ideology.

Final verdict: Authoritarian Right.

Rebel Alliance: George Lucas wrote them as the obvious "good guys" in the saga, but I'm not so fond of them. Their official name is "Alliance to restore the Republic". One would analyse just by that alone that they are guided by Republic nostalgia and merely anti-imperial feelings, but where in the saga have they ever talked about social equality? Their two main founders, Bail Organa and Mon Mothma were big important figures in the Republic. I don't trust their motives as agents of systemic change and revolution, but more of a return to the old status quo. And having read my Republic analysis, that's not good at all. I think their real world counterparts are the current U.S. Democratic Party. Mon Mothma and Bail Organa are like the Star Wars versions of Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden. They are political dinossarus who oppose the fascist regime not out of ideology, but out of a "return to normalcy". Watch Rogue One and how they demonize the true rebel and revolutionary (Saw Guerrera) and watch your fantasies about the good guy Rebel Alliance crumble before your eyes.

Final verdict: Liberal Left/Centrism

Final notes: The Resistance and First Order don't differ much from their Rebel/Empire counterparts, so just apply what I've already said about them.

For those who haven't already guessed, my bias in this analysis is that I identity as leftist/socialist in the real world, and my opinions on these factions reflect my personal political views.

So that's about it! any thoughts? Would love a good spirited debate on this.

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GenGrievous03 posted...

They are political dinossarus who oppose the fascist regime not out of ideology

This is just blatantly and stupidly untrue.

GenGrievous03 posted...

Watch Rogue One and how they demonize the true rebel and revolutionary (Saw Guerrera) and watch your fantasies about the good guy Rebel Alliance crumble before your eyes.

Oh i'm sorry, are they not the "good guys" because they don't support torturing and killing civilians?

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Die CIS scum

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GenGrievous03 posted...

Final notes: The Resistance and First Order don't differ much from their Rebel/Empire counterparts, so just apply what I've already said about them.

How dare you?

Visionary auteur Rian Johnson made it very clear in his award-winning movie The Last Jedi that the Resistance and the First Order are basically the same because they buy their ships from the same war profiteers. This is a refreshing and expectation-subverting take on the tired old good vs evil conflict from the inferior original trilogy.

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The CIS were the heroes of the prequels

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