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Life in the Empire didn't get noticeably worse until the Death Star was complete, imo. That's when Palpatine completely dissolved the Senate(and with it any remaining semblance of democracy), and began ruling the galaxy exclusively through fear/intimidation.

Prior to that, there really wasn't a significant change in general day to day life for most across the galaxy. Sure, there was slavery and many other bad things that happened on numerous worlds(particularly in the outer rim), but the majority of those problems existed WELL before the Empire came to power, so... /shrug

On paper, the Empire sounded like a really good thing, and that's what Palpatine's propaganda fed to the masses. The Tarkin Doctrine, for example, made it sound like the Empire was essentially just a more militarized Republic that still served the people above all else... And most of the galaxy ate that shit up at first.

As for Palpatine himself: most of his subordinates were scared shitless of him him -- even the ones who had never met the man. That's just the reputation he had.

In legends, they've given us enough reasons why the Empire sucked, immediately after its creation and 20 years later. Palpatine wasn't really the one who controlled your life.

It was like a feudal structure, except the Emperor had the ability to step into any territory and do whatever he felt like, administratively. This was because he just craved power so much. But he didn't actually ever do anything with it, he wasn't known to go around changing administrations and making decisions because he didn't care. He didn't care what the people's lives were like, long as they were loyal to him and his empire.

So, I guess how bad your life was depended on your moff, since that's who really administered your area. It would have been like the age of Kings in Europe and even more like the Age of Shoguns in Japan. Your quality of life would depend on your local ruler. And the Empire was known to have seemingly infinite resources, so I'm sure there were good places to be somewhere.

Though that does come with its own caveats, since the Empire was known to be racist, fear-inducing, and approving of the most inhumane ways to get things done. As much as Palpatine didn't kill unless he needed to, he hired people who would.

In Canon, I guess it's like the dictators from early 20th century Europe, since that's what George Lucas wanted the Empire to be. They just oppress and control people with military power.

It honestly doesn't sound that bad assuming you're a attentive, law-abiding citizen who respects authority, structure, and order.

I'd rather live in the Empire than say the USSR or North Korea that's for sure.

^ It wouldn't be too different from the USSR or North Korea. Fear tactics and unnecesarily strict laws. If you're talking in canon, that is.

Originally posted by Zentrex
^ It wouldn't be too different from the USSR or North Korea. Fear tactics and unnecesarily strict laws. If you're talking in canon, that is. Canon is no fun. Everything is black & white. It's either good or it's completely evil.

Well, the Empire is meant to be completely evil. In canon, we have the Chiss, the other civilization from the unknwon regions, and the republic during the clone wars wasn't all good. And the NEW republic in the sequels also had its problems.

well if ROTJ is anything to go by then all of the planets seen thus far in the series are overjoyed with the death of the Emperor and the defeat of the Empire at Endor; clue that in with the oppression seen in Rebels and Rogue One and its seems as if the Empire era was a pretty shitty time for the Galaxies citizens all around... especially when compared to the peace time shown before the Clone Wars, granted that was mainly just Coruscant and Naboo but it paints a picture for sure

Nazi or Stalinism-like life

Publius (Tempest's mentor) wrote an essay about this.

http://web.archive.org/web/20110722011223/http://www.domuspublica.net/leviathan.html

Great stuff.

Originally posted by Azronger
Publius (Tempest's mentor) wrote an essay about this.

http://web.archive.org/web/20110722011223/http://www.domuspublica.net/leviathan.html

Great stuff.

That it is.

But I mean, there actually are lots of star wars materials which show us the life for average citizens. There's the holiday special, the adventure journals, all the short books for the phantom menace ad campaign which talked about Anakin's life as a slave, and Padme's life as a child, Empire At War discussing the daily lives of Tyber Zahn and less fortunate men of his trade, and all the backstories we've gotten of Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, and so on. And that's not counting what we've seen in TCW and The Force Unleashed of other planets and the common life there.

Hitler was an "idiot". Sidious is Stalin. Vader is Hitler.

I think the economy was fine before the war, not sure.

He killed millions of his people....

Originally posted by DarthPlaguis12
I think the economy was fine before the war, not sure.

He killed millions of his people....
Germany's economy, after WWI was the worst any economy has ever been in history. One Dollar was equal to 10 quadrillion Marks.

And Hitler also killed millions of his own people. Hitler's reign was nothing but bad for everyone.

I don't remember Palpatine trying to eliminate the other species/races like Hitler did.

I believe it was only the Imperial higher ups like Tarkin who were racist. Palpatine himself didn't particularly care as his own master Plagueis was a non-human, and he respected him deeply for all his knowledge.

Originally posted by Zentrex
Well, if you create jobs by creating poisonous gases and weapons of war to kill the jews and conquest over Europe, the economy will get better for it, but the quality of life for people won't.

If the government started terror in the streets and killing politicians who said things the "fuhrer" disagreed with and taking away people you knew and perhaps loved to kill them, I'm pretty sure you'd care.


The wookies.

You mean the droid attack on the Wookiees?

Bith lives matter lol jk

Originally posted by Kurk
I believe it was only the Imperial higher ups like Tarkin who were racist. Palpatine himself didn't particularly care as his own master Plagueis was a non-human, and he respected him deeply for all his knowledge. Canonically speaking, Tarkin wasn't overtly racist/specist... He treated both humans and non-humans alike in most cases: as though they were entirely beneath him.

However, many high-ranking officials in the Empire were racists/specists -- that ideology was actually a prevailing theme within the Imperial hierarchy, tbh. That's why there were a scant few non-humans which comprised its leadership.

Originally posted by Freedon Nadd
You mean the droid attack on the Wookiees?

Wasn't that the seperatists? I was actually talking about the enslavement of the wookies.

Well, Hitler wanted to kill Jews, not to enslave them

The empire enslaved the Wookies

Originally posted by DarthPlaguis12
The empire enslaved the Wookies

Hitler didn't enslave jews.

He did use Jews as slave labor

so Jews = Wookies??

Chewy Rosenbaum hollywood agent pleased to meet ya

Originally posted by DarthPlaguis12
He did use Jews as slave labor

Incorrect. He used them as literal human resources. They were going to die anyways because they had typhus.

Originally posted by relentless1
so Jews = Wookies??

Chewy Rosenbaum hollywood agent pleased to meet ya

Nah. Jews=Sand People.
Anakin/Vader=Hitler

Anakin killed Sand People and Hitler killed Jews.

Considering the fact that Lucas was heavily inspired by the WW II regarding Palpatine and his evil empire. Yes, I would say so.