Liberty dies with thunderous applause free#

But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took up arms to defend our way of life against the Separatists. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings.

*This excerpt was originally posted on Facing History's Los Angeles blog, Learn+Teach+Share on May 24, 2016.Citizens of the civilized galaxy, on this day we mark a transition. What interesting connections to Facing History have you seen? Share them with us!

Watch Facing HistoryвЂ™s new video, Awakening Conscience: The Pastor Martin Niemoller Story, about how one man transitioned from a Nazi supporter to one of the partyвЂ™s most outspoken challengers.

Once the crisis has abated, I will lay down the powers you have given me!вЂќ In Attack of the Clones, Mas Amedda says: вЂњThe Senate must vote to give the Chancellor emergency powers.вЂќ Accepting those powers, Palpatine insists, вЂњIt is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. President von Hindenburg signed a decree for the dissolution of Parliament, which is expected to become effective before the reconvening of Parliament, scheduled for next Tuesday.

The power to dissolve Parliament at his discretion and to rule Germany by decree without Parliament was entrusted today to Adolf Hitler, GermanyвЂ™s new Chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg, according to theВ Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, an organ close to the Government. A chilling newspaper account on Februreads like something right out of Star Wars, but itвЂ™s quite real: In the midst of an apparent crisis, signaled by a fire at the Reichstag (legislative) building, Hitler demanded that authority.

Liberty dies with thunderous applause free#

Hitler was apparently a model for Palpatine, and in Germany, the fuhrerвЂ™s own rise was confirmed by his successful claim to general authority to make law, free from any requirement of legislative authorization. A democratic body, a senate, not being able to function properly because everybodyвЂ™s squabbling, thereвЂ™s corruption. You sort of see these recurring themes where a democracy turns itself into a dictatorship, and it always seems to happen kind of in the same way, with the same kinds of issues, and threats from the outside, needing more control. ItвЂ™s the same thing with Germany and Hitler. Why did France after they got rid of the king and that whole system turn around and give it to Napoleon?вЂќ He noted: the senate after killing Caesar turn around and gve the government to his nephew?. When drafting the prequels, Lucas began researching the transition from democracies to dictatorships, examining вЂњwhy. Abrams explained in a magazine interview, вЂњcame out of conversations about what would have happened if the Nazis all went to Argentina but then started working together again? What could be born of that? Could the First Order exist as a group that actually admired the Empire? Could the work of the Empire be seen as unfulfilled? And could Vader be a martyr? Could there be a need to see through what didnвЂ™t get done?вЂќ ThatвЂ™s the origin of the third trilogy. ThatвЂ™s why people in so many different nations can appreciate its politics-and it will forever be so. It offers a warning about the need for citizen vigilance against the countless would-be emperors who try to accumulate power at the expense of the public. with thunderous applause.вЂќ (WeвЂ™ll get to Nazi Germany pretty soon.) With respect to politics and the death of republics, Star Wars tells a perfectly recognizable tale. ThereвЂ™s a stylized account of the loss of freedom, which Padme nicely captures: вЂњSo this is how liberty dies. They explore the kinds of machinations that allow dictators to come to power, and they show how republics fall prey to them. The prequels focus on the rise of tyranny and the collapse of democracies. ItвЂ™s pretty safe to say that Star Wars criticizes centralized authority, and its rebel heart lies with those who try to resist it. Maybe your nationвЂ™s leader reminds you of Palpatine maybe the opposing party is the ResistanceвЂ¦. Your teacher or your boss might seem like an Emperor. Whatever your political convictions, and wherever you live, youвЂ™re likely to see an Emperor of some kind, and youвЂ™re likely to have some sympathy for the rebels or the Resistance. ThatвЂ™s one reason for the universal appeal of the saga. After all, it opposes an Empire to a Republic and a First Order to a Resistance, and its heroes are rebels, who want to return peace and justice to the galaxy.

Star Wars isnвЂ™t a political tract, but it has a political message. Sunstein shares an excerpt from his newly released book, The World According to Star Wars. It turns out we arenвЂ™t the only one! Author Cass R. At Facing History, we love finding connections to our work everywhere, even in Star Wars.