Tag: Star Wars
Review: ‘How the Force Can Fix the World,’ by Stephen Kent
January 10, 2023 | Post
In “How the Force Can Fix the World”, Stephen Kent explores how Star Wars themes can be applied to our current political and cultural landscape. A thought-provoking and compelling read for fans of Star Wars and for those looking for a new perspective on real-world issues.
What do Stalin and Palpatine have in common?
August 19, 2021 | Video
Fantasy novels and films often depict the heroes fighting for freedom against an oppressive regime. This happens in Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and many other universes. But what do they all have in common? The younger generation might not understand how oppression and lack of freedom happened in the real world but might relate to fiction, to grasp what it means to live in societies like Germans under the Nazis or Soviets under Stalin.
What Luke Skywalker can teach us about politics
August 5, 2021 | Video
Have you ever questioned what science fiction films and books can teach us about politics? We asked Csaba Tóth, a prominent political scientist and sociologist, at an event hosted by Students For Liberty.
The discussion focused on the fictional universes of Star Wars, Star Trek, and Game of Thrones, among others. Csaba shared his thoughts on the different political structures, as well as their merits from a pro-liberty point of view.
The politics of "The Last Jedi"
December 20, 2017 | Post
One Resistance fighter says that the movement will win “not by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love.” But what do they love?
The economics within Star Wars: The Force Awakens
October 30, 2016 | Post
Thanks to people like Rey, secondhand power converters make their way into the hands of idealistic young future pilots shopping at Tosche Station.
Historical Inspirations Behind Star Wars
January 22, 2016 | Post
It took Star Wars: The Force Awakens just 20 days to become the number one North American movie of all time. Obi Wan Kenobi might say the movie has become more powerful than we could possibly imagine. But there are a few things about the movie franchise that even hardcore fans may not know. For […]
Star Wars Proves the Road to Dictatorship is Democratic
December 24, 2015 | Post
The newest Star Wars movie is smashing box office records. But it’s not just a science-fiction tale of lightsabers and Sith lords. “The Force Awakens” continues the story of a democratic republic that succumbs to ruthless dictatorship when its citizens give up their civil liberties. Promising security, Emperor Palpatine didn’t simply proclaim himself supreme ruler—he […]
The Death Star: Building It, Not Destroying It, Was the Catastrophe
December 23, 2015 | Post
You might have come across this recent article which argues that destroying the Death Star in Star Wars would have economically crippled the galaxy. There are a number of problems with the article, as Janet Neilson at the Foundation for Economic Education points out. The three major causes for concern are: Mistaking the cost of […]
Remy Explains Democracy to Dictatorship through Star Wars
December 17, 2015 | Post
Star Wars, whose next installment opens this week, includes many important themes. One of the most relevant today is that a democratic republic is precious thing. If it is not guarded, it can quickly turn into a dictatorship. People often forget that pre-Nazi Germany was a constitutional democracy and that Hitler came to power by […]
Star Wars’s Timely Message on the Rise of Dictatorships
December 17, 2015 | Post
The next installment of Star Wars premieres Friday. The Star Wars franchise tells the story of a republic that falls into a dictatorship because its citizens desire safety and are willing to sacrifice civil liberties in response to fear. Sound familiar? Western countries, including the U.S., have sacrificed hard won civil liberties as a way […]