"No" is the easy answer. "For those well-versed in the deeper aspects of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (EU) via the novels, comics, etc., can you share any insights into the economic aspects of life under the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire, and the New Republic?" For one thing, while perhaps "versed" I cannot claim to be well-versed. That said, let me recall a discussion on another forum about a different universe. On the old WELL (Whole Earth 'Lectonic Link, now a Salon property), in a Star Trek discussion, I complained about the lack of serious economics. The entire society of the Federation seemed dominated by Starfleet. In the orginal series, we met only two traders, Cyrano Jones (tribbles) and Harry Mudd (women). Neither was admirable and we never saw any money change hands. In an early episode of Star Trek: Next Generation, the Enterprise rescues a cryonic pod of early 21st century people. One of them is a "businessman" (ahem) who demands to speak via subspace communicator with his stock broker. Captain Pickard only sighs. There no stockbrokers; there is no money. "Rather than purusing material possessions, we improve ourselves." So, absent money, how do they know whether to build a mining colony or something else? In that discussion, I was disabused of my own notions. "We get Christians here who complain about the lack of religion in Star Trek..." In other words, take it on its own terms. So, too, with Star Wars. I do agree, Luke, with the thesis that you are laying out: the failure to think through these problems is indicative of a deeper failing, from a lack of philosophical premises. I would go so far as to say that fictionalized communist propaganda would be better because at least plot and theme would be integrated. Back around 1965, Isaac Asimov edited two volumes of science fiction from writers in the USSR. Projecting the future was at once serious and problematic specifically because Marxism is a theory of history. One assumption they made - or were allowed to make; or were required to make - was that any technologically advanced society would be socially advanced. We make the same claim but from different premises: you cannot have material wealth without economic freedom. That speaks to the problems that Ed Hudgins found in the economics of Star Wars: trade federations, banking conglomerates, and all that, but very little in the way of actual economics. In fact, in The New Hope, Obi Wan Kenobi steals what they need by using Jedi Mind Tricks to pay with imaginary credits. I maintain that there is no such thing as science fiction, or historical fiction, or vampire fiction. It is all just mainstream fiction with different dress-up. Sometimes Shakespearean troupes will do a play in modern dress. I saw Julius Caesar that way once... in case the meaning was lost on you when they wear togas... In another discussion in a numismatic forum about an alternate future story, "The Woodrow Wilson Dime" the point was made that we cannot (easily) imagine what the world would be like today if the South had won the Civil War or if (as per Dinesh D'Souza) George Washington had been killed in battle. We do not live in that world. All we can imagine is our own time and place with some of the trimmings changed, but without being able to actually create a consistent world unlike our own.
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