George Lucas created the Galactic Separatist movement with extreme care to render us unsympathetic to it. The charismatic leader Count Dooku murders dozens of Jedi and its inner circle is controlled by the arguably most despised beings currently in the universe (the rich oligarch). The Galactic Republic is defended not only by the Jedi but also idealistic young Senator Padme Amidala Nabriere. Appearances can also be deceiving however with the statement that the Separatist movement having the moral high ground to be increasingly likely. Examining the Separatist reasons for secession, the Republic's true levels of corruption, and the moral fiber of its members...we gain some better understanding of the Clone Wars fundamental conflict.

Count Dooku's initial speech to his audience of the Techno Union, Banking Clan, Trade Federation, and Commerce Guild is our first indication of what the Separatists are after1. Count Dooku promises an end to the stifling taxation and economic bureaucracy that plagues corporations. "Complete economic freedom" is in fact the exact words and such words can have a disturbing effect with the implications of environmental disaster, monopolies, and lack of minimum wage laws. 'Lazier Faire' economics has proven a business model that can quickly spiral out of hand. Count Dooku's own speeches on the holonet, however, remain considerably less political and much more demagogueish2. Dooku condemns the corruption in the Republic that the "Jedi Quest" series shows repeatedly protects criminals and leaves worlds without aid in dire straights. Naboo is a world that would probably be amongst the perfect examples of Republic ineffectiveness3. Ironically, and we are lead to believe by every series that the Jedi Knights are only a bandage on a chaotic galaxy that gains no aid whatsoever from naval or military forces. Alto Stratus certainly gives his reasons eloquently on Jabiim; The Republic ignored them during a devastating plague, ignored them during pirate raids on their planet, and is now planning to occupy their world for industrial mining for the war effort to no profit of the citizenry4. He is quite correct that they can't very well do much worse with the Separatists.

The Galactic Republic is the force that clearly means for us to cheer for even as their transformation into the Empire is going on even before our very eyes. The assumption is that the angry mobs and greedy corporations are outweighed morally until Palpatine is declared Emperor. This assumption seems to be incorrect though. The Republic’s Senate truly is the wretched hive of vipers that the Separatists believe it to be. The New Jedi Order’s incompetence is a welcome change from the outright treason prevalent during the war as the Senators from Rodia5, Falleen6, and Devos7 are guilty of war profiteering. The senator of Thrustra is guilty of attempting to murder his father and Master Yoda8. It is clear that the Senate is modeled closely after the worst stereotypes of Ancient Rome. The Republic military is an area that one would assume the Jedi would keep clean but ’Base Delta Zero8’ comes quickly to this time and furthermore Palpatine issues an order for the destruction of Cestus for merely the likelihood that it would create a small number of droids that might effect the war’s progress9. The disturbing fact is that the Republic Jedi accept this as if it is routine. Alpha, as a typical example of a Clone Trooper, is a brutal individual who argues the ’efficiency’ of murdering Jabiim’s politicians until information is diviluged10. Similarly, Anakin Skywalker must prevent them from executing prisoners. It is an easy assumption to make that wherever the Clone Troopers are not stopped, their ruthless nature is put to work. At least two Admirals have also proven psychopaths 11. The Galactic Republic’s motivation has also been rightly stated to be the preservation of not only its sovereignty but the recovery of valuable economics worlds12. It furthermore installs military governors and Republic backed dictatorships for no other purpose than to maintain control over peoples who have no desire to be part of their Institution, directly mocking what they supposedly stand for13. The Republic is also ineffective and perhaps even supportive of slavery in the Outer Rim territories, dictatorships on its worlds, and countless civil wars amongst its members that it refuses to intervene in.14 The Separatists, even if they support just a functioning economy, cannot be worse.

The moral fiber of the conflict is measured in individuals though. Even as we have Padme and Mace Windu on the side of the Republic to balance Palpatine. The Separatists have Dooku and Lott Dodd. We would think such individuals would not be balanced yet it has been proven not the case. The General of the Kaminoan attack15 was respected by the Jedi as a man of honor while the King of Thrustra16 wished nothing more than peace. Both individuals were those who had as much moral fiber as Yoda or Bail Organa. It is furthermore clear that the General was a rival of Dooku’s for power over the hearts and minds of the Separatists. The citizenry of the Separatists are not raised especially differently or indoctrinated for their cause differently; they have been shown to be normal individuals with the worlds seceding because they believe their lives will be better17. The patriotism of the Republic is no less strong for its desire to protect itself.

In conclusion, the war is a tragic waste as the Separatist movement is indeed a valid one. They desire to leave a sinking ship. The Republic is a monster that the Jedi are right to preserve the ideal of but no more so than the Imperials attempting to do the same of their world since the reality was barely different than the Empire. The Separatists unfortunately were corrupted from the start as their leadership was formed around a charismatic dictator whose circle was nothing more than greed and corruption at heart. Only the Sith would benefit but the Republic merely became a tool in the oppression of people that they had no right to oppose if they actually believed in the democracy that the Republic espoused.

1. Attack of the Clones
2. Holonet news (web)
3. The Phantom Menace
4. Battle of Jaabim
5.Holonet News (Insider)
6. Jedi: Dooku
7. Jedi: Aalya Secura
8. Jedi: Yoda
9. The Cestus Deception
10. Battle of Jaabim story arc
11. Medstar Duology and Cestus Deception
12. Holonet News (Web)
13. Holonet News (Insider)
14. Jedi Quest
15. The Defense of Kamino
16. Jedi: Yoda
17. The Approaching Storm

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