The Case for the Empire

fReNeTiK writes "In this amusingly controversial article over at the weekly standard's web site, we get to hear an opinion not often heard among the hordes of Star Wars fanatics out there: The rebel alliance are actually "... an unimpressive crew of anarchic royals who wreck the galaxy so that Princess Leia can have her tiara back." An entertaining read which will surely spark flame wars of epic proportions." Reader kaypro submits an MSNBC story examining the science of Star Wars. And Ant notes that the Clones DVD will be out earlier than expected.

Comments

Thoughtful Articles

[Spencerian]

This article reminds me of a series of articles found on Space.com called The Phantom Heresies, a collection of speculation on why things were in Star Wars. (Because these links are fairly old, you may have to scrounge around--use Google.)

The link above discusses the powers and the arrogance of the Jedi, and why they had it coming. The cool part for me about these articles was that they reflected my views after watching The Phantom Menace after watching how mortibund both Jedi Council and Senate were in comparison to the efficient manipulations of Darth Sidious in TFM.

Was the Empire a better system? I think that a gilded cage is a cage, no matter how informative or high-class the reading material is that covers the bottom of my cage. I would side with the Rebels, lightsaber in hand if I were a Jedi.

unattractive choices

[g4dget]

We have the sclerotic and bureaucratic republic, an empire run by some evil guys dressed in black, and a bunch of rebellious royals. I'm with Brin: Star Trek offers a more inspiring vision of the future.

Pinochet is no Benevolent Dictator

[Vroom_Vroom]

From a background briefing.....

The report, based on nine months of testimony and research, describes several stages of repression. In the weeks after the military seized power in a coup Sept. 11, 1973, thousands of Chileans sympathetic to the socialist government were detained. Many were tortured, and several hundred were tried and executed by military war tribunals. A woman described the corpse of her son, the manager of a state cement plant, who turned himself in after the coup and died in custody five weeks later: "He was missing one eye, his nose was torn off, one ear was separated and hanging, there were marks of deep burns on his neck and face, his mouth was very swollen." In the next stage, the army's secret police squads waged a "systematic campaign to exterminate" leftist dissidents from 1974 to 1977, the report states. Inside clandestine prisons, people were tortured with electric shocks, choking, confinement and even animal rape. There were 957 victims who never reappeared and are presumed dead.[6]

Thats a lot of benevolence.

Mmmmmm I suspect the author has been listening to CNN.

From the remember Chile website

Remember Chile

Re:Pinochet?

[Yokaze]

> While no one can dispute that Pinochet was a brutal military dictator, most people forget how bad things were in Chile before Pinochet took power.

AFAIK, Chile was ruled by a Socialist named Salvador Allende,
who was elected and was determined to reform the admittantly crumbling economy with structural changes.
Those structural changes included the nationalising of of the industrial sector (including U.S.-owned copper mines). This lead to strong oppositon of the expropriated U.S. companies, (esp. copper mining and ITT) and the US goverment.
To quote Henry Kissinger:

I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people.

In the two first years of Allende's rule "Unemployment declined as the economy expanded, inflation was kept under control, and workers' incomes rose by fifty percent[...]"(John Foran, Allende's Chile, 1972)

The expatriation of US companies led to countermeasurements from the US goverment.
The U.S. ambassador to Chile probably words his goverment's stance best:

Not a nut or a bolt will reach Chile.... We will do all in our power to condemn Chileans to utmost poverty

For some reason, the Chilenian economy was declining.
Despite heavy support from the US goverment for the conservative party and the economical decline, Allende's party increased its share of the votes at the next election.

The CIA was heavily involved in supporting the conservative and right-wing groups with money, weapons and training. In 1971 to 1972 several coups were attempted, when Pinochet finally succeded.

The National Security Archive of the GWU has some of the partially disclosed CIA documents.

Lastly, about the economical developement in Chile.
Between 1972 nd 1987, the GNP per capita fell 6.4 percent.

Maybe have a look at "Analysis of Chilean economic and socioeconomic policy: 1975-1989 by Sherman Souther".

Re:Satire?

[iphayd]

I call Godwin's law. The conversation is over, please go home everyone there is nothing to see here.

http://www.godwinslaw.com/

How about the Biggs scene that was cut...

[Mr. Neutron]

I would consider this canon, even if it was left on the cutting-room floor:

BIGGS: I thought you were going to the Academy next term. You'll get
your chance to get off this rock.

LUKE: Not likely! I had to cancel my application. There has been a lot
of unrest among the Sandpeople since you left...they've even raided
the outskirts of Anchorhead.

BIGGS: Your uncle could hold off a whole colony of Sandpeople with one
blaster.

LUKE: I know, but he's got enough vaporators going to make the place
pay off. He needs me for just one more season. I can't leave him now.

BIGGS: I feel for you, Luke, you're going to have to learn what seems
to be important or what really is important. What good is all your
uncle's work if it's taken over by the Empire?...You know they're
starting to nationalize commerce in the central systems...it won't be
long before your uncle is merely a tenant, slaving for the greater
glory of the Empire.

LUKE: It couldn't happen here. You said it yourself. The Empire won't
bother with this rock.

BIGGS: Things always change.

LUKE: I wish I was going...Are you going to be around long?

BIGGS: No, I'm leaving in the morning...

LUKE: Then I guess I won't see you.

BIGGS: Maybe someday...I'll keep a lookout.

LUKE: Well, I'll be at the Academy next season...after that who knows.
I won't be drafted into the Imperial Starfleet, that's for sure...Take
care of yourself, you'll always be the best friend I've got.

BIGGS: So long, Luke.

Biggs turns away from his old friend and heads toward the
power station.

Just before the Battle of Yavin, Luke runs into Biggs and they gab a
bit, then Red Leader shows up and mentions that he had met Anakin,
Luke's father.

-------

Seems to me the Empire was controlling and anti-free enterprise.