Old Republic

The Old Republic was a democratic galactic government that spanned time as well as distance. For over a thousand generations, this government spread justice and freedom from star system to star system. Elected senators and administrators from all the member worlds participated in the governing process, and the noble Jedi Knights served as the Republic's protectors and defenders. In the years prior to the current era, corruption, greed, and internal strife began to destroy the Old Republic from within. Special interest groups and power hungry people accomplished what no outside threat ever could–they weakened the galactic government and gave rise to apathy, social injustice, ineffectiveness, and chaos. To reverse this destructive trend, or at least give the impression that something was being done, both sides in the Senate elected a compromise candidate to serve as president of the Senate.

For all his promises and plans, the newly elected Vice-Chancellor Palpatine quickly named himself Emperor, abolished the Republic, and began a reign of terror and even greater social injustice based upon his dark vision of a New Order. The Old Republic passed away, and the Empire was born.