‘Star Wars’ wisdom for our time

“The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates who are only looking out for themselves… There is no interest in the common good.”—Senator Palpatine, “The Phantom Menace”

“We must keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it.”—Queen Jamilia, “Attack of the Clones”

The galaxy may be far, far away but many of the events that transpired in “Star Wars” are eerily familiar to our political experience. As the seventh installment of this saga opens this week, it may be useful to reflect on some parallels between our country and the universe conjured by George Lucas, if only to add some levity to the increasingly-heated debates over the coming elections.

The “space opera” that is “Star Wars” is as much a tale of the Skywalker family and of the Jedi and the Sith as it is a political history of the galaxy, from a troubled Old Republic to a new one, with a dark chapter in between: that of the Evil “Empire.” From the very beginning, it has depicted the faults and weaknesses of a democracy in a world of diverse cultures.

To begin with, government officials are shown to be under the payroll of the Trade Federation, reminding us of how corporate greed and corruption undermines democratic institutions. Although the leaders of this Federation are defeated and handcuffed, they bounce back, leading an old patrician to lament: “It’s outrageous! After all of those hearings, and the four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. Do those money mongers control everything?” Obi-Wan Kenobi, mindful of politicians’ vested interests, warns that they “are not to be trusted.”

As our heroes travel across the galaxy, we encounter the “Outer Rim,” where conditions are harsh. Queen Amidala exclaims: “I can’t believe there is still slavery… The Republic’s antislavery laws…” Shmi Skywalker cuts her: “The Republic doesn’t exist out here… We must survive on our own.” This reminds me of the child labor, human trafficking, lumad killings, and the economic and social struggles of the marginalized in our society.

“Star Wars” also chronicles how the rise of a dictatorship feeds on disillusionment with democracy. The dialogue between Anakin Skywalker and his lover Padme Amidala is revelatory:

Anakin: We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problems, agree what’s in the best interests of all the people, and then do it.

Padme: That is exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don’t always agree. In fact, they hardly ever do.

Anakin: Then they should be made to.

Padme: By whom? Who’s going to make them?

Anakin: I don’t know. Someone… Someone wise.

Padme: That sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me.

The threat of rebellion—manufactured by Palpatine just as Marcos hyped up the threat of insurgency as a pretext for martial law—had the senators turning over “emergency powers” to a “strong” chancellor, eventually ushering in a Galactic Empire and destroying democratic institutions. But not completely: As in the most trying moments in our history, there is resistance.

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“Star Wars” may strike some parallels with the harsh realities of our country, but we can also draw inspiration from its characters. The heroes are very human—falling in love, yielding to hate—but they also step up in times of crisis.

Padme provides lessons in leadership, humbling herself before the Gungans with whom her people share the planet, emphasizing their shared destiny: “Although we do not always agree … our two great societies have always lived in peace… If we do not act quickly, all will be lost forever.” Such humility is needed if we are to achieve peace in the country and unite behind larger issues that confront us all.

Faced with a choice between safe asylum in the capital planet of Coruscant or likely imprisonment in her home planet of Naboo, she bravely chooses the latter: “My fate will be no different from that of our people.” If only our leaders are willing to share the fate of the everyday Filipino—by taking public transport or by walking on our streets, for instance, surely they would make better decisions, and win people’s respect in the process.

“Star Wars” also offers its characters redemption. The smuggler Han Solo proves that “there’s more to him than money” when he turns the Millennium Falcon back, allowing Luke Skywalker to destroy the Death Star. Corrupt beyond recognition, Darth Vader proves that there is still some good in him when he lifts an anger-crazed chancellor and hurls him into the abyss, fulfilling the prophecy that he would “bring balance to the Force.”

But the most powerful lesson of “Star Wars” is the importance of simple individuals—unlikely heroes—in determining the fate of the galaxy. At a time when the fate of the rebellion hangs in the balance, it is the littlest acts of an R2D2 fixing the hyperdrive, a Wookiee posing as a captive, or Ewoks battling imperial stormtroopers that win the battle against the oppressive Empire. In the same way, every vote, every person, counts in our struggle against corruption, for a better government and a better country.

“Impossible to see the future is,” Master Yoda says. At a time when there is much uncertainty about the years to come, “Star Wars” offers hope that whatever the future brings, good will ultimately triumph over evil. But it also challenges us to bring about this triumph ourselves. May we help each other toward this goal. May the Force be with us.

Gideon Lasco is a physician and medical anthropologist. Visit his website on health, culture and society at www.gideonlasco.com.