Why Palpatine Was Terrified of the Bureaucrats 

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I love how Allen is trying to educate the Star Wars Fandom by little brush strokes, on contemporary issues. This stuff might not get as many views as the other viral Star Wars channels but it's why I watch every Generation Tech upload.

The true villain of the piece was the Parliamentarian who failed to keep the Trade Federation from shouting down Queen Amidala while she was making her case.

14:12 I get the point he's making, but as a South Korean, I do have to say that the U.S.'s "controversial" decision to enter the Korean War saved our country. I know it's technically a ceasefire and thus can't be considered an overwhelming victory like the Gulf War, but we can't deny the fact that my country was able to develop into what it is today because of Truman and MacArthur's intervention...

THIS is why I love this channel so much. Taking the Star Wars galaxy we all know and love, and showing how to make our own tiny world a better, kinder place by learning from fiction. It's precisely why science fiction was created in the first place: to be an allegory of contemporary issues.

The main problem of bureaucracy is always corruption and the fact that, after a few years, a group of people forms who help each other. One hand washes the other. Instead of keeping the needs of the citizens in mind, they want to increase their own advantage. That's why there should be the Transparent Bureaucrat. Everyone can see what each bureaucrat is doing. If corruption is identified, in my view, it is an attack on the state itself and should be accordingly punished.

I like how he didn't even define what a bureaucrat is. A non-elected government official. The mail carriers, the person that works at DHHR. None of the people actually make life harder, it's the elected politicians that set the rules for these places.

Sure, we need an IRS. But does that IRS need its own SWAT teams, when it's already the world's most powerful collection agency?

Andor, “I’m just a tourist!” Desk Clerk, “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to take that to the Emperor.” Shoretroopers, “OOOOHH!”

I always wondered why 2 jedi (Qui Gon and Obi Wan) could not testify to the senate that the invasion was happening as the queen said. At that time their testimony would have meant a lot.

I think the best depiction of bureacracy is done in Mando (the professor) and Andor (Bureau of Standards). Truly powerful but abysmal environments in which you become a cog.

Biggest problem is the corruption inside most bureaucracies

“The gum that clogs the gears of every human endeavor...” all hail bureaucracy!

Palpatine wasn't terrified of bureaucrats lol. He was talking about Mas Amedda and saying he was on the payroll of the Trade Federation, which he as Darth Sidious controlled at that time, which means on his payroll. Lucas made sure we noted this by keeping Amedda on as Palpatine's right hand as he hand been Valorum's before. He loved bureaucracy, he just wanted control of it. "Neither larger nor smaller, but better" is an overly simplistic slogan in its own right and usually just means more opaque and less democratic whenever its ever been spoken irl. Everybody wants bureaucracy to be "better", "larger" or "smaller" are prescriptions derived from diagnoses of what the structural problems are. They may be wrong, and sometimes size might not actually be the fundamental problem either way, but they are at least actionable prescriptions. Your slogan is actually even more vague and hand wavey than any "populist" "anti government" view. And this has a direct link to it being the last desperate pitch of technocrats to trust the experts - vague and handwavey reform agendas like "better" bureaucracy means ensuring that the diagnoses and prescriptions are kept deliberately obscure so nobody outside the system can assess whether or not its working. Its the worst of both worlds.

This is why I love gen tech

Same thing about Ashoka. The "asian dude" wasn't idiot, what if Twilek was lying. Don't remember the names, I am a Legends guy.

"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time..."

I absolutely agree, Alan... But I also disagree. A little bit. The issue is that, sometimes, those people have a point. Sometimes we need to change things a bit, to fix whatever isn't working well. And the inability to see it is exactly what creates opportunities for those kind of people.

another wonderfully informative and mature topic using fantasy a a backdrop. feels like something Sir Terry Pratchett would write about...oh wait: "going postal" and "making money" come to mind

I'm a lawyer by trade so I deal with bureaucrats far more than the average person does. Yes, you run into people who are incompetent, apathetic, and potentially corrupt, but in my experience they tend to actually be a pretty small minority. Most of the bureaucrats I have worked with over the years have actually been very helpful and I would say they tend to be more civic minded than the average person which is why they work in government even thought they could most likely make considerably more in the private sector. From my experiences and what I have observed watching people try to handle these interactions on their own, I think the problems fall into two broad buckets. The first being that many of these services are often underfunded when compared to the need that exists within the community. The second is that most people have very unrealistic exceptions when it comes to such matters. Most people understandably when they interact with an institution like a government or business want to feel like they are being treated as an individual, they do not like feeling as if they are just a number or a file. The problem is that bureaucracies by their nature have to be pretty cold and unfeeling because they have limited resources and a virtually unlimited to demand they have to fill. A lot of these people are going through great personal difficulties which is why they are there in the first place which often gets in the way of their ability to effectively communicate what they actually need or to understand what they need to actually do to get their issue resolved. A lot of people in my experience tend to think like Anakin Skywalker in Episode II. The reason for this in most cases is not that people are stupid, but rather that most of them never received a good education from our school system (quite possibly the single most underfunded service in the US) particularly in the areas of political science. As a result a very large percentage of the population tend to carry very simplistic and unrealistic expectations towards government like Anakin. These attitudes combined with the stress of whatever problems they are facing leave them ill-prepared to navigate the system effectively.

I'm actually glad that you're covering the Star Wars content that you are. Don't ever change! I stopped watching some of the other Star Wars RU-vidrs because they change to keep up their views. You never betrayed the fandom and I love you for it!

Hermes is still my favorite bureaucrat. Plus loves limbo too!

Your political science vids are often good viewing. Keep it up!

GenTech using real life as a lens to view star wars is why he is the best star wars lore channel

Good burecrates are forgotten. Bad burecrates are loathes.

Alan isn't really talking about Palpatine here. It's what makes this channel great despite what the algorithm wants.

USA and other countries haven't declared war on anyone since after WW2 people thought that wars will be things of the past. So declaring war on someone will be met with sanctions. But since human nature can't be changed, there were still wars after WW2 but without declarations.

The problem arises when the bureaucrats decide they don't care what the legislature or chief exec says, they're going to push their own solutions.

It is about incentive structures. Our current political class is insulated from their bad decisions. They are the anywheres, not the somewheres, and will leave with their families for some sunny tax haven if things go tits up, whereas you or I are left behind and have to live with the consequences. If you have ever been in a committee, you know that they are ineffective and even hellish to participate in. What you need a strong executive who stands to suffer great personal loss when they make bad decisions, and who broadly align with the population they oversee and want them to flourish (noblesse oblige), with advice and oversight by the legislature and judiciary.

I agree that alot of the time negative stuff like talking about the terrible management of the franchise, can draw more attention from people and the algorithm. However I would argue there is a large percentage of people who just want interesting, entertaining, and informative content based around the star wars universe, and just really dislike the drama and negativity. So I think it goes both ways

After watching this video, I recommend reading: The United States Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, The Federalist Papers (or The Federalist Papers in Modern Language), 1984, Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, The Communist Manifesto, The Capitalist Manifesto, How Capitalism Saved America, Economics in One Lesson, The Black Book of Communism, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Reading even several of these books and documents will give a much more complete view of what constitutes good government, and what constitutes necessary bureaucracy.

The best kind of government is the one you never think about.

Day 212 PLEASE DO MORE TACTICS VIDEOS AND STRUCTURES LIKE THE CIS NAVY STRUCTURE AND RANKS

I love the depth of these videos. Thanks Gen Tech

Viewer from Chile here! I study "Public Administration" in College: I am becoming a Bureaucrat by definition. You may not like socialism as it presented itself in Russia, but marxist concepts are the main tool they gave us to make sense of the state and bureaucracy. They taught us that bureaucracy is inherently oppressive and the only things that can change are who is being oppressed, how they are being oppressed and why they are being oppressed. It's so interesting seeing these topics being discussed in the context of the Star Wars universe! Cheers!

Bro is gona start a warzone in the comments

It's right about 17:00 where Alan talks about the government necessity that I can hear Dedra Meero, Alecia Beck, and Wolf Yularen cackling in the background... Good episode, Alan...

Star Wars bureaucracy honestly got nothing I can think of one galaxy spending empire that has a truly nightmarish and Grimdark bureaucracy

At 5:36 you're ignoring the fact that the government funds almost all technological advancements that private companies then take the advancements without the added cost of R&D. Meaning they are allowed to make more spur of the moment changes because they aren't bearing the upfront cost that tax payers are.

This is why I've subscripted to Generation Tech. Sure, he criticizes everything from the Empire to the Jedi, but then he gives out gems like this. A reminder like Padme does, to embrace the chaos, but fight for the good

No they do not keep the grocery shelves stocked. More often than not they empty the shelves.

Nice one, Allen!

I really appreciate that you're teaching people how to think, not what to think. Respect.

I love Allen’s discerning demeanor. He has great insights, I always look forward to every upload!

Well said.

I like this video. Very informative I learned alot I can say.

RU-vid needs to add a heart react option or allow me to drop a double like! Great video and tons of excellent points. From some of the things you say, I'm sure we disagree wildly on political matters, but it seems we disagree on how to answer them. You lay out many problems whilst doing a great job at explaining why it matters! As always, great content Allen. One of the best RU-vidrs out here rn!

great vid

Lets go new Alan video

The problem with Star Wars is that the Republic allows its democracy to become corrupt, which makes it easier for it to transition into an Empire (dictatorship). Later, a rebellion must be fought to revert to a Republic, only for the cycle to repeat. The transition from Republic to Empire is easier than the transition in the opposite direction. Education and access to accurate information are crucial for a Republic to run effectively, while a dictatorship only requires less education and deceptive news. Well done Allen, your videos on topics such as this should be viewed in High School Civic classes.

I’ve come to really appreciate how you weave in real world political realities into your analysis of the Star Wars universe. Keep up the great content

Bureaucrats are unelected officials who operate government agencies.... usually under the executive branch. And, when those agencies can arbitrarily make and enforce rules that carry the weight of law, then the representative power of the legislative branch and the rights of the citizens are undermined. The executive branch becomes a de facto dictator. And that's why bureaucracy must be held accountable. Also, that's why having a constitutional that holds the government accountable is vital.

Nothing beats "Adeptus Administratum" from Warhammer 40K

The problem with bureaucracy is when its grown so big that they see the people their servants not the other way around. Bernie Sanders may love our system (which cannot be transformed into a us version) but its far from perfect.

Well said Allen. You’re a champion.

The dark underbelly of the bureaucracy has been shown many times in star wars.... Whether you are monitoring the decommissioning of the republic fleet, Requesting access to restricted genesplicing technologies, Directing the Vogon construction fleets to manufacturer hyperspace bypass, it takes the dedicated work of unsung Heroes like Hermes Conrad CBGr34 ( When he got his Groove back ) To keep the space trains running at all much less on time.

Whether it is in Star Wars or the real world, bureaucracies prey on people's lack of responsibility. Naboo did not prepare or did not do what they should have to protect themselves and not need to defer to a higher government. In this world, people do not contribute or pay the proper taxes like they should. If people took responsibility for their actions or lack of action, then there would not be the need to step in or get bureaucratic and drag things out when it does become a need. Then maybe SSA or other government won't look like or feel like a ponsie scheme or let down. To many people cheating the system, not government theft. Looking at it in another point of view, you could say that is what Naboo did. Seems like they had the money and did not want to get dirty with having military and denied the Gungans......They could have had their own Sith(JarJar) running interference.

Alan, I really enjoy your sober and insightful discussion about the Star Wars universe and its parallels to ours. I'm not interested in the Disney drama.

A better way to do foreign aid would be to give scholarships to people in your homeland to become doctors and teachers on the condition that they spend a certain amount of years overseas to help people in poor countries. This would prevent the money from being stolen and have the added benefit of improving overall infrastructure when they come back.

Man for some reason Max Weber came to mind. Off the top of my memory from sociology 5 years ago, he talked about the bureaucratisation and rationalisation of the modern world, ie how everything had become part of a vast machinery of bureaucracy. One of the big thinkers in social science. He's also famous for talking about the Protestant Work Ethic, the disenchantment of the world (meaning secularization/no more magic/spirits/gods in the natural world in our modern times unlike premmodern folks), and probably other stuff I can't remember.

Well said Allen. I was surprised with how much you talked about real world politics

two thoughts... (1) The US declared war on Japan in 1941, not 1942. In 1942, the US declared war on Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, then later Vichy France. (2) as to taxes, a certain party refers to its political foes as 'tax and spend', yet the US constitution by interpretation, "tax and spend" is the mechanism set up by our founding politicians. Even borrowed money needs to be repaid and if loan A is paid off by loan B, its like using one credit card to pay off another.....which will lead to eventual bankruptcy.

Seems technologies Should restrict some technologies

All this reminds me why one of my favorite AU's are Padme just straight-up leaving the Republic.

I agree with this video it’s a good point

Image Emperor Palpatine and Darth Plaguies in the IRS office explaining all there expenses

8:20 Star Wars RU-vid rn in a nutshell, thank you for not constantly doing that!

I'm a Libertarian I believe in very limited government not no government. I believe that local government can take care of most everything that most people need the government to deal with. There are things that local governments can't deal with and that is what the state government is for. The federal government should only deal with issues between states and things that are outside the US borders. An example the federal government should have no say on if someone dams up a small stream That is for the local government to decide or if it involves more than one county then maybe at the state level. The federal government can and does tell people that they can't dam up a small stream that is on their property.

Man I agree with you about the negativity. That’s why I watch this channel loyally.

Good goooood As a bureaucrat myself I am glad you are feeling the pull of the dark side.

People want to be told what they want to believe is right, facts and reality don't have to play into it. Politicians are experts at manipulating this to their advantage. What a politician says may even change from one group of people to the next, depending on what they believe that group wants to hear. Ultimately what a politician says is window dressing to the actions they do.

In theory, I know you are right. But if you've seen Yes Minister you know that blind faith in any sort of government institution is naive.

“Every kingdom divided against itself comes to ruin, and a house divided against itself falls.”-Luke 11:17

This is why Allan is better then sw theory....great video.

Never thought I'd get solid, well-thought out political commentary from a Star Wars video. Well done.

Love your videos! I always watch through the ads lol 💯💪

Bureaucrats Must Never be Loyal to Only to One Political party.

Well said Alan, well said. I hope that your many Star Wars fans will take this to heart, especially with the upcoming presidential election.

This was directed at vivek 😂

The specific issue of the Naboo blockade should have been alot more cut and dry. The Chancellor dispatched two Jedi, who would have been unimpeachable representatives of the Republic, in a diplomatic starship, they verified the existence of the blockade, and the Trade Federation tried to kill them multiple times, simply their report and the backing of numerous witnesses, plus R2's records should have been more than sufficient

Okay, I'm confused. Is this a fandom channel or is he trying to teach us RL politics? Asking for a friend.

On top of the fact that everyone doesn't always agree in a Democratic Republic, there's the fact that political corruption corrodes governments; which is accelerated when the population is ignorant of its own laws because of poor education.

4:21 clearly if an accusation like this were made the Judicals could have sent a patrol or scouting task force to investigate and in less than a day it would be obvious if Amidala were telling the truth or not.

Life and government are always going to have complications.

What I don't understand is why so many people hate paying taxes, how else would the government theoretically get the funds to administrate?

"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other ones."

Burecrates are worse even then Sith lords

surprisingly deep video...

Nice

The fact that your channel isn't like the others mongering negativity, that you respect the intelligence of your audience, and you use your platform to teach your viewers about how politics functions, how economics and socioeconomics affects multiple areas of life, and how it's all interconnected by filtering it through the lense of Star Wars - something more people will actively be interested in and pay attention to - is why I prefer to watch your channel over all others. You're not infantilizing your viewers, talking down to us, insulting us, or criticizing those with different viewpoints. i.e. you respect that some of your viewers like the sequels. I feel like I learn something from you, whereas with other channels, I feel a well of negativity. The only point you are vocal against are dolphins. The uprising is coming. You leading the way is an important porpoise to the cause. You actually talk about minute details in the Star Wars universe that no one else really does. Like the weapons manufacturing, the design elements of ships (mmm starship porn), the details of the Jedi, and of the galaxy's history. You don't just share lore, you compare it to real world similarities, which allows the viewer to relate to the topic more personally, and gain a better understanding of the workings of a galaxy far far away, using our own, and thus learning more about our own. I remember more about what you've said regarding politics than from my high school econ class. If my teacher had used Star Wars, I'd have been more interested. I've said it before, but I pay attention to how you're explaining things so I can apply that knowledge to my own science fiction story. I've learned what to look for, and have fixed a number of issues I never noticed before. As a result, the actions of the political powers, the companies, and the characters in my story make more logical sense. And the interwoven logistics of the galaxy make more sense in regards to weapons and ship manufacturing, economics for the species that use money and for the ones that don't, to how dirty a corporation can be hiding its nasty deeds under a political skirt. It's science fiction/fantasy (soft sci-fi like Star Wars - which is also soft sci-fi). But there has to be a certain level of practical science and realism involved in order for the fantasy element to work. Thank you for helping me become a better worldbuilder. :)

18:23 sounds just likeTrump to me

Deferring to committee, would surely have seen Naboo defaulting and becoming a possession of the Trade Federation. Naboo was only about 10 hours drive from Coruscant, Jedi had already been sent and had brought back the Queen. The hole is that the Jedi's testimony was somehow not good enough, despite their role and ordeal.

I agree, as much as the U.S. government can be a pain, it's a stable-enough system with routine and relatively peaceful transitions of power. Looking at countries where some of my military relatives serve-the countries with little to no government-we all can't be like Tatooine with the complexity of Coruscant or Lothal and have stability plus freedoms. Have a government that is confident and gives voices to some people is better than no government, no infrastructure, and no say at all. For as nasty as the last few transitions of power in the executive branch was in the U.S., some governments start wars over those transitions of power. I see the Republic in Star Wars closely resemble the U.S. Congress but on a galactic scale. Yes there are too many seats and too many voices shadowing over other voices, but it is better than not having a say at all. And let his not forget, some people don't know what they really want or know what they are asking for. You can't magically build a school or a fighter jet without someone allocating the budget for the jet plus the pilot that flies that jet.

Yes! Enjoyed!

2:55 Senators and subcommittees are not bureaucrats. bureaucrats are workers in the administration of an organization.

Allan, you assume that the criticism of bureaucrats is unwarranted. I’ve personally known several that are insane partisans and it heavily influences their work and their supervisors don’t care enough to fire them. The bureaucrats in the DOD are insanely corrupt and the DOJ has been slowly filling up with partisan activists (the former US Attorney’s words, not mine) for well over a decade. What do we do with those bureaucrats? When Elon Musk fired most of Twitter everyone swore it would fail when instead it’s functioning better than ever. If you fire half of the bureaucrats, the other half will either step up or be replaced for bad performance which will become obvious or partisan action very quickly, since the impact will become more noticeable.

Hey Allen, I have always wanted to know how exactly the “queen” of a local government, who is NOT a senator has legal standing to call a vote in the senate in the first place??? It’d be like the governor of Wyoming showing up in the Senate and calling a vote even though they are not even close to being part of that body or allowed to do that. So…..?

An Empire of action not words ruled by strength not committee.

A galaxy wide government is a mind boggling concept and I liked how the prequels and now some of the streaming shows are illustrating that. Bureaucracy is a necessary part of any government even authoritarian ones like the Empire. Setting up a viable infrastructure for just a local government that will properly allocate resources is not something the average person doesn't think of unless it directly affects them in some way.

Come from teh fun Star Wars lore. Stay for the extremely relevant social commentary.