General star wars talk/discussion/complaining

[billd91]

Wookiepedia makes the claim the Republic is a federal union - and that makes sense. The individual worlds have some independence but with the central government also exercising some sovereignty. What's hard to tell is how much of a representative democracy it is since we don't know how all of the representatives, in this case Senators, are selected. Some, at least, appear to be democratically elected. One presumes that the fact that they call themselves the Galactic Republic implies that the bulk of the Senators are selected by some form of people power.

It's pretty clear from the fact that no other house has ever been mentioned that they're a unicameral legislature. That's neither more nor less democratic than a bicameral legislature - though it sidesteps the potential to have a balancing house selected by other methods or across other constituencies (because if the selection methods and parameters are the same, what's the point?).
And it's pretty clear that by the end of things, there were a lot of social and political forces moving in polarizing directions and a weak divided executive between a bureaucracy and chancellorship often at loggerheads. Now, how exactly a bureaucracy ends up not being overseen by the Chancellor, I don't know. Usually, the bureaucrats need some protection from partisan politics but is there some way that went too far with the Galactic Republic? I dunno.

 

[Deset Gled]

Don't forget that the Galactic Republic is also part theocracy. The Jedi are officially recognized, exercise all sorts of government powers with no democratic oversight, and are the only religion shown with such standing.

The Galactic government is complicated. Its almost like it was thrown together in the background and just used to propel the plot with no regards to continuity. I blame the midichlorians.

 

[Belen]

Don't forget that the Galactic Republic is also part theocracy. The Jedi are officially recognized, exercise all sorts of government powers with no democratic oversight, and are the only religion shown with such standing.

The Galactic government is complicated. Its almost like it was thrown together in the background and just used to propel the plot with no regards to continuity. I blame the midichlorians.

The Ruusan Reformation changed the Galactic Republic heavily:

• Removed powers from Chancellor and invested them in the Senate.
• Ended central military and prevented member worlds from anything more than a peacekeeping/police force.
• Jedi gave up their military and were prevented from holding political office.
• Jedi became galactic peacekeepers.
• All Jedi Academies were closed except for Coruscant. All training was centralized.
• The Republic forced all hospital to test newborns for force sensitivity.
• Jedi started training as toddlers.
• The Jedi changes were supposed to prevent descent into the dark side.
• The Republic was not a theocracy and I would argue that the Jedi “religion” suffered greatly by standardization and a secular duties. The Jedi slowly secularized and became a political tool.

In the end, this standardization and centralization destroyed the Jedi by making them a much easier target.

 

[Whisper-Kitten]

The Ruusan Reformation changed the Galactic Republic heavily:

• Removed powers from Chancellor and invested them in the Senate.
• Ended central military and prevented member worlds from anything more than a peacekeeping/police force.
• Jedi gave up their military and were prevented from holding political office.
• Jedi became galactic peacekeepers.
• All Jedi Academies were closed except for Coruscant. All training was centralized.
• The Republic forced all hospital to test newborns for force sensitivity.
• Jedi started training as toddlers.
• The Jedi changes were supposed to prevent descent into the dark side.
• The Republic was not a theocracy and I would argue that the Jedi “religion” suffered greatly by standardization and a secular duties. The Jedi slowly secularized and became a political tool.

In the end, this standardization and centralization destroyed the Jedi by making them a much easier target.

I wonder if thats when they adopted common core math as well.

 

[Whisper-Kitten]

I mean what do parents get for having to give up their force sensitive children? Seems like there has to be a massive program to subsidize them. I just can't imagine every parent thrilled over the prospect. Plus what happens if they say no?

 

[jian]

On reflection, I think one of the best real world historical parallels for the Republic is the Delian League, which was an alliance of autonomous city states led by Athens for mutual defence and trade. It was a membership organisation right up until the point it wasn’t, when Naxos and Thasos tried to leave and Athens made it clear that wasn’t an option. That’s when it became the Athenian Empire, which lasted until the Peloponnesian wars.

 

[jian]

I mean what do parents get for having to give up their force sensitive children? Seems like there has to be a massive program to subsidize them. I just can't imagine every parent thrilled over the prospect. Plus what happens if they say no?

It’s a damn good question and one we discussed briefly when talking about The Acolyte, I think - it seems an inviolable law of the Republic that families and communities have to allow testing. Kidnapping is not allowed but probably sadly happens all the time - or at least blackmail and coercion - because the Jedi think it’s essential for Force potentials to be trained properly.

“The Jedi Order is an unaccountable power structure masquerading as a religion of heroes.”

 

[Belen]

I mean what do parents get for having to give up their force sensitive children? Seems like there has to be a massive program to subsidize them. I just can't imagine every parent thrilled over the prospect. Plus what happens if they say no?

My guess is they can say no but that is never specified. There are non-republic worlds too.

I do not believe I’d let the government take my kids.

 

[Belen]

It’s a damn good question and one we discussed briefly when talking about The Acolyte, I think - it seems an inviolable law of the Republic that families and communities have to allow testing. Kidnapping is not allowed but probably sadly happens all the time - or at least blackmail and coercion - because the Jedi think it’s essential for Force potentials to be trained properly.

“The Jedi Order is an unaccountable power structure masquerading as a religion of heroes.”

I disagree. After Ruusan, the Jedi became a government entity.

The Republic needed all the force sensitives. I believe the intention was to avoid another Sith Empire which is why the Jedi agreed.

Honestly, the dark side clouded their vision precisely because the became a rigid, government-controlled resource.

 

[jian]

I disagree. After Ruusan, the Jedi became a government entity.

The Republic needed all the force sensitives. I believe the intention was to avoid another Sith Empire which is why the Jedi agreed.

Honestly, the dark side clouded their vision precisely because the became a rigid, government-controlled resource.

The Senator quoted (in The Acolyte) is pretty clear that the Order operates with the authority of the Republic Senate - he just thinks they are not accountable enough to that Senate, that they dodge oversight and are given a free pass on all sorts of things because they’re a “religion of heroes”. It’s implied that this is partly because the Jedi were so important during the High Republic era, which is now coming to an end.

(Also, it’s far from clear that the Ruusan Reformations are canon - they’re part of Legends, which basically aren’t, and otherwise IIRC they’re only mentioned in a FFG sourcebook. In so far as it’s at all pointful to try and establish what is or isn’t SW canon these days, because honestly we’re all making up our own.)