 |  |
|
- "And don't forget she's a politician. They're not to be trusted."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi, to Anakin Skywalker, about Padmé Amidala[1]
Politics concerned the power relationships between individuals within and across the societies that they formed, such as the policies of a government. Those involved in such activities as their careers were referred to aspoliticians, who were elected by voters indemocratic systems of governance. Acrossthe galaxy, there existed many different forms of government, includingdictatorships andmonarchy-based traditions, which were dynamic and subject to change intimes of both war and peace. An oldCorellian saying that existed by theHigh Republic Era was "The promise of a politician is trash."[2] Indeed,Jedi KnightObi-Wan Kenobi once remarked it was unwise to trust politicians.[1]
Forms of governance[]
Republic[]
Main article:Democracy
- "We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problems, agree what's in the best interests of all the people, and then do it."
"That is exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don't always agree." - ―Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala[1]
The Galactic Republic was a government in which power was held by the Senate and its elected leader, the Supreme Chancellor.
In a republic, people were governed by elected representatives and an elected leader rather than by a monarch.[3] With itsbody of electedsenators, theGalactic Republic was agalaxy-spanning democracy.[4] However, that system was not without its drawbacks. As admitted byPadmé Amidala, a Republic senator, elected representatives were often too stubborn to reach consensus, and some were known to even take bribes.[1][5] Additionally, many of those representatives were tempted to forget common interest and looked out only for themselves and theirhome systems.[6] TheJedi KnightObi-Wan Kenobi thought that most senators were only focused on pleasing those who sponsored their campaigns, which prompted them to forget the ideals of democracy.[1]
Monarchy[]
- Main article:Monarchy
Royal descent[]
- "And as your King, I pledge my loyalty to all people of Mon Cala."
- ―King Lee-Char of Mon Cala[7]
In a monarchy, the monarch was the head of state.
In a monarchy, a single individual—known asking orqueen depending ongender—would rule their people bybirthright, grounding their legitimacy in lineage. TheElder Houses were comprised of ancient galactic royalty.[8]
Sometimes, however, the legitimacy of a lineage was contested. During theClone Wars,PrinceLee-Char ofMon Cala was preordained to succeed hisfatherYos Kolina, but theQuarren inhabitants of the planet wanted to place one of their own on the throne, which prompted them to wage war with the crown heir.[9] Other planets ruled by monarchies includedAleen,[10]Toydaria,[11] andOnderon.[12] Some monarchs, such as those of Naboo, were elected to the throne.[1]Alderaan had the throne pass to the king or queen's eldest child but in order to be officially invested as heir they needed to complete three challenges of thebody,heart, and themind which would be announced on the heir apparent'sDay of Demand.[13]
By the time of theNew Republic, few people still took hereditary nobility seriously, including nobles themselves. Due to this, the noble titles of many planets became largely ceremonial.[8]
Electoral monarchy[]
- "I wasn't the youngest queen ever elected, but now that I think back on it, I'm not sure I was old enough."
- ―Padmé Amidala, to Anakin Skywalker[1]
There also existed hybrid forms of government. On the planet ofNaboo, the head of state was referred to as a king or queen despite being elected by their people.[14] They were assisted by a body of ministers called theNaboo Royal Advisory Council.[15] Additionally, that elected sovereign could only serve two terms in accordance with the Naboo constitution.[1]
Dictatorship[]
- Main article:Dictatorship
- "Sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me."
"Well, if it works…" - ―Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker[1]
Darth Sidious held supreme power as Emperor of the first Galactic Empire.
A dictatorship was a form of government in which central authority is vested in the hands of a single individual, who often held vast executive power. The authority of that individual, called a dictator, is often enforced through various oppressive mechanisms, such as repression of the press, detention of political activists and the use of omnipresent security measures to monitor public opinion, often with hopes of manipulating it in favor of the regime. A form of dictatorship was calledfascism.[16]
At the time of the Clone Wars, the planetQuarzite was ruled over by aBelugan dictator,LordOtua Blank.[17] WhenSheev Palpatine, thenSupreme Chancellor of the Republic,announced the establishment of theFirst Galactic Empire, the galactic government shifted from a democracy to a dictatorship,[18] more specifically, a fascist regime.[16]
Rule by military officers was calledstratocracy.[19]
A massive nongovernmental criminal-orientated organizational body ruled by a single individual, such as that of thecriminal empire of theHuttJabba Desilijic Tiure, may also function as a dictatorship.[20]
Empire[]
An empire consisted of territories that were ruled by a central authority.
An empire was an authoritarian system of geopolitical organization in which various territories and aggregates were collectively constituted underneath a common, centralized executive authority. Oftentimes, these territories would fall under the direct rule of a singular galactic government's jurisdiction, as was the case with theGalactic Empire and the way in which it was administrated.[22] In other cases, empires were more nuanced, instead manifesting as hegemonies; here, the various aggregates would be devolved, with territories retaining their own official sovereignty, though many were often vassal states of the most powerful government in the dominion. A good example of this was the isolationistChiss Ascendancy, a political designation that saw its planets controlled by the ruling houses of theAristocra.[23]
Traditionally, many empires fell under the rule of a single leader, who was typically called anemperor or an empress, depending on the gender.[24]
Alliance[]
- Main article:Confederacy of Independent Systems
- Main article:Lower Mantle Confederacy
- Main article:Confederacy of Corporate Systems
- "Our friends from the Trade Federation have pledged their support, and when their battle droids are combined with yours, we shall have an army greater than any in the galaxy. The Jedi will be overwhelmed. The Republic will agree to any demands we make."
- ―Dooku[1]
The Confederacy of Independent Systems was an alliance of star systems disillusioned with the Galactic Republic.
An alliance was a collection of various groups united by a mutual goal. One such alliance was the Confederacy of Independent Systems, otherwise known as the Separatist Alliance. The Confederacy was formed by thestar systems that sought to leave the Galactic Republic, alleging government corruption and high taxation as their grievances.[25] TheConfederacy military was funded by large corporations such as theCorporate Alliance, theInterGalactic Banking Clan, theTechno Union, and theTrade Federation, the leaders of which served on theExecutive Separatist Council.[26]
But unbeknown to the galaxy, the Confederacy were under the secret influence ofSith Lord Darth Sidious who used theSeparatist Crisis and theClone Wars to achieve the goal of restoringSith rule to the galaxy. The Confederacy styled itself as a democratic government, with theSeparatist Senate comprised of the elected representatives of Separatist worlds.[25]
TheAlliance to Restore the Republic, also known as the Rebel Alliance, was composed of small resistance cells that united into a larger rebellion against the Galactic Empire.[27] The Rebel Alliance'sstated intentions included opposing the Emperor and his forces, defying Imperial laws that violated the "rights of free beings," destroying the Empire, and restoring liberty to the galaxy.[16]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
|
Notes and references[]
|
External links[]
- Related categories:
- Politics
- Related Categories:
- Politics