Essay/Term paper: Governments in star wars v.s. governments in the home

Essay, term paper, research paper:  History Essays

Governments In Star Wars V.S. Governments in the Home


In the movie "Star Wars" their exist many different forms of government.
In this essay I will be comparing those forms in the movie to the ones found in
the home. I will be starting with the most basic form of government and working
up to the most complex.

The most basic form of government is anarchy, The total absence of
government. In the movie the best example of anarchy is Yoda, living by himself
on Dagohba without the interference of any one apart from self. An example of
this at home would be when children are left at home while their parents are
away for any extended period of time. Unlike Yoda though, the children do not
live in a total anarchist state for they will eventual have to answer to their
parents when they return.

The next most primitive form of government is a direct democracy as
shown by the Ewoks. The Ewoks probably started out as many small groups that
lived separate from one another and grew into what they are now through the
evolution theory where, over time banned together in order to provide an easier
means to access the necessities of life for the groups. At the time you see
them in the movie they seem to be using a tribal form of government where the
elders make up the governing body, but let every one else take part in the
policy making process. Besides using a tribal form of government they also
believe in divine right, or a god given someone the right to rule them as
demonstrated by the Ewoks immediate worship of C3-P0 upon sight. This can be
compared to any modern family a moving into an apartment along with many other
families where there is a manager, but the every one living in the building can
have a say of what goes on with the policy for the building.

Another basic type of government is a dictatorship where only a small
group or one person have control of a group of people. There is two different
examples of a dictator ship in "Star Wars", one is the Emperor's, which will be
discussed later, and that of Jabba's. Jabba is a gangster on Lukes' home
planet which is controlled by the empire. Jabba has a dictatorship over a small
group of people and has a territory in which he has sovereignty, and therefore
has all the qualities of a state. He has total control of his area including
without having to give to the will of the people he governs. he also has
control of the making and enforcing of policies which is the role of government.

The Imperial Empire is also an dictator ship as stated above but with a
couple minor differences. At one time there was no such thing as the empire but
through many battles the emperor gain control through the use of force,
establishing his government as the governing body for the universe. In the
early days of the empire there was an imperial senate that shared powers with
the emperor in a federalist type of government where the different planets each
sent their own representative to the senate. In an effort to gain more control
over the universe the emperor destroyed the senate by assassinating its members.
As a result of this the power than fell to a small group of generals who elected
Darth Vader as there leader and second in command much like a parliament would.
After the first Death Star was blown up the emperor took total control of the
government and using Darth Vader as his go between with his generals. As you
can see the Empire had evolved from some what of a democracy into a unitary
dictatorship where every thing revolves around the emperor. Given that the
emperor wasn't taking away freedoms as a punishment but to further his own
control of the galaxy, but if you look at the progression that took place it can
be compared to how parents might react when their children get out of line. At
first they may limit some of their freedoms, and then if they continue to do the
things that the parent deem wrong they might get all of their freedoms taken
away.

The most complicated of the governments in the "Star Wars" movies would
be that of the Rebel Alliance. From what you see one can conclude that the
rebels are a confederacy born with the sole purpose of over throwing the
Imperial Empire. The reason this is the most complicate in my mind is that they
must get many different planets to join and contribute money and people to the
cause while trying to avoid the emperor. Also they must elect a leader from the
many different planets to head up the alliance. An application of this form of
government could exists when the neighborhood could ban together to protest a
city ordinance or building project. Where the sole purpose of the group is to
stop the city or come to a compromise that settle the matter, but when the
matter is finally resolved the group will disband for there would be no need for
it anymore after accomplishing its goal.

Over all the many different forms of government displayed in "Star Wars"
can be related and observed through out home life. Though there might not be
one perfect form of government since they all have their drawbacks it might be
in the best interest to study all of the different approaches to maybe come up
with a combination of many different forms of governing to make a more perfect
government., or at least be willing to change a little before a major downfall
occurs.