In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Senate focused primarily on monetary concerns rather than the effects of the war on the Clone Troopers.
In a three episode arc, Star Wars, Clone Wars it focuses on the costs of war, both monetary and moral. After the massive casualties among the Clone Troopers, the Senate of the Republic debated the deregulation of the Banking Clan to finance the war and create more troops. While this is one of the more politically focused arcs in the series, the senators’ actions and their arguments show just how much the Republic had dehumanized the Clone Troopers. Even the opponents of the war focused on the monetary costs rather than the moral issue of creating Clone Troopers for battle.
For the senators who support these measures, their reasoning is a combination of greed and fear. Some groups, such as the banking clan and Senator Halle Burtoni de Kamino, benefit greatly from the war. Other senators fear the Separatist armies and depend on the Clone Troopers to die instead of their own constituents. The profit-focused senators took advantage of the fears of others.
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First, in the third season episode “Heroes on Both Sides”, they plan a droid attack on Coruscant and blame the attack on the Separatist army. In the next episode, “The Search for Peace”, they hire people to attack the senators who oppose the deregulation of banks and the creation of more Clone Troopers. These intimidation tactics work for most senators and ultimately allow both measures to pass.
For most senators who oppose the measure, their arguments against creating more Clones are more fiscal than moral. When Bail Organa first voices his objections to funding more clone troopers, he briefly mentions the troops when he states: “Our generals inform us that the troops in the field continue to act courageously. What we cannot afford is to be irresponsible.” . While he appears to be leading to a discussion about how the Republic is acting irresponsibly with the lives of the Clone Troopers, he is actually referring to irresponsible in a monetary sense. This senator points to the fact that the cost of creating more clone troopers could bankrupt the Republic, and the Republic is already struggling to fund basic services for its citizens.
Padmé Amidala is the only senator to mention the fact that Clones are people, and the Republic is essentially creating humans to die in these wars. The other Star Wars Senators do not acknowledge this fact because if they do, they will have to confront the shaky moral ground behind the creation of the Clones. He tries and fails to negotiate peace between the Republic and the separatists, but is still adamant that the war must end.
Still, Padmé primarily focuses on monetary costs when she opposes the bill in the Senate, even though she bases her argument on the actual experiences of her constituents rather than abstract statements. She says: “My people, your people, all our people, this war aims to save you from suffering, not increase it.” While she speaks of the deterioration of the quality of life in the Republic due to the Republic’s debts, this statement could also apply to the Clones themselves. They are being created with very few options other than participating in the war.
While Padmé’s speech in “The Quest for Peace” garners greater support, her efforts unravel into “Senate Assassinations” after the murders of Senator Onaconda Farr and Senator Mee Deechi. These murders were not committed by separatists at all. Instead, Lolo Purs, murdered Onaconda Farr because she believed he brought the war to Rodia, and Mee Deechi’s murder was due to providing evidence that could implicate her. Still, the killings convince most of the rest of the Senate that more security is needed.
In the end, Padmé and her followers lose this fight, and the Senate votes both to deregulate the Banking Clan and to order the creation of five million more troops. However, the moral defeat is much greater. Sheev Palpatine claims to have also opposed these measures, but states: “How can we justify strengthening our security here in the Senate if we don’t provide reinforcements on the front lines as well? You see, the Clone Army’s victory, for now, is the only thing that can bring us to peace. “
In this statement, Palpatine ignores the fact that the Republic could also recruit troops from its constituents to strengthen the security of the Senate and the front lines. By refusing to acknowledge any other options, he continues to make the Republic dependent on the Clone Troopers instead of considering other options. These Star Wars, Clone Wars The episodes show how far corruption has spread within the Senate, and Palpatine takes advantage of this corruption to further consolidate his power. Thus, the dehumanization of the Clone Troopers by the Senate of the Republic paves the way for the creation of the Empire.
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Reference-www.cbr.com
