Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
Lessons from Yoda: What Britain's PM Rishi Sunak can learn about governance from his favourite movie 'Star Wars'
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • World
  • Lessons from Yoda: What Britain's PM Rishi Sunak can learn about governance from his favourite movie 'Star Wars'

Lessons from Yoda: What Britain's PM Rishi Sunak can learn about governance from his favourite movie 'Star Wars'

The Conversation • November 7, 2022, 16:24:24 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

Rishi Sunak is most likely the biggest ‘Star Wars’ fan to serve as prime minister of the United Kingdom. It has been reported that he finds inspiration in films, both personally and politically. Here are a few lessons Sunak should take note of

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Lessons from Yoda: What Britain's PM Rishi Sunak can learn about governance from his favourite movie 'Star Wars'

Rishi Sunak is probably the biggest Star Wars fan to hold the post of UK prime minister. It has been reported that he looks to the films for inspiration, both personally and politically. One MP said, presumably with some hyperbole, that much of Sunak’s political philosophy comes from the trade wars in Star Wars. Personal inspiration is easy to find in Star Wars. It is a classic hero’s journey, with a call to adventure for a reluctant young protagonist who ultimately has greatness thrust upon them. Finding political inspiration is a bit trickier. We have previously written about the lessons for constitutionalism and democracy sliding into tyranny that can be learned from the prequel trilogy. One hopes that Sunak won’t face such a challenge as prime minister. Star Wars may not carry the same kind of gravitas as The Art of War or Machiavelli’s The Prince as a manual of political instruction. But it is nonetheless filled with interesting lessons and cautionary examples for those seeking to promote peace, order and good government in this galaxy or any other. Here are a few lessons Sunak should take note of. Incompetence leads to secession and strife The main lesson of the prequel films, which lead to the rise of the Empire, is that political dysfunction sows the seeds of democratic decay. The inaction of gridlocked legislative bodies and slow, grinding bureaucracies in the face of crisis precipitates the rise of a strong leader who promises to take charge and restore order. The Phantom Menace portrays a Galactic Republic in turmoil, with the squabbling senate and incompetent Supreme Chancellor unable to respond effectively. The situation reaches a breaking point in Attack of the Clones, as thousands of star systems secede from the Republic and go it alone. The Chancellor raises a huge army in response, and the galaxy is at war. Sunak takes over a country facing many problems, after a period of chaotic leadership. War is unlikely of course, but secession and national chaos are possible. The UK supreme court has just heard a case on the legality of a second Scottish independence referendum. The Northern Irish Executive has failed to form following elections earlier in the year, an issue bound up with Brexit and the Northern Ireland protocol. Meanwhile, the discussion of unification referendums in Ireland continue to gather momentum. Sunak should keep in mind that dysfunctional and incompetent governments build centrifugal forces that can break apart even very old and established unions. Trade keeps the peace, but bores people The origin of the crisis for the Galactic Republic, we are told in The Phantom Menace, is disputes about the “taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems”. Notoriously, audiences found this exceptionally boring. Sunak could learn from George Lucas’s mistakes: though people tend to like the benefits of trade when it is going well, they really don’t like hearing about trade disputes and taxes. In a post-Brexit world, where more and better trade deals will be essential to Britain’s future, avoiding trade wars, quietly improving trade and keeping it out of the headlines would help avoid public backlash. The other lesson here is that when trade is good it keeps the peace, while trade disputes sow the seeds of much more serious conflicts. This is one of the founding principles of the EU — that trade interdependency builds a basis for lasting peace. Good trading arrangements with the EU will be an essential part of keeping the peace process on the rails in Northern Ireland and building good relations with the UK’s European neighbours. Don’t lead from the background In A New Hope, the first film in the original trilogy, we don’t see the Emperor. Looming ominously in the background, he relies on a ragtag band of semi-competent subordinates who bicker amongst themselves. Various senior imperial officials — system governors, admirals, Darth Vader — jostle for control, and in the end the Empire’s all-important Death Star is destroyed by the rebels. In The Empire Strikes Back, Vader is in charge — one imagines the casualties from the destruction of the Death Star moved him quite far up the organisational chart. His aggressive management style is based on summary execution of subordinates for poor performance. But he doesn’t get the job done either, and in the third film the Emperor has to step forward. At this point, it is too late and the rebel plan to destroy the Empire succeeds. This is great storytelling, but it’s not good governance. For a would-be leader, the lesson is clear: you need to be felt as a political force, or a rebel alliance will come to get you. Having just toppled a prime minister who lurked in the background, this is a lesson Sunak should know without needing to learn it from his favourite films. Be careful altering the deal In The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader makes a deal with Lando Calrissian, administrator of Cloud City, to have him turn over Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in exchange for a promise that his city would be left alone by the Empire. But Vader takes Leia and Chewbacca prisoner, and when Lando complains that this was outside the agreement, he responds: “I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further.” Realising what deals with Vader are worth, Lando abandons their agreement and helps our heroes escape Vader’s clutches. The obvious lesson is to be careful when you renege on your commitments. A crucial challenge that Sunak will face is attempting to renegotiate aspects of the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the EU, particularly the Northern Ireland protocol. There are signs of positive engagement between the two sides, and hopefully an agreeable compromise can be reached. But if it cannot, Sunak needs to be careful in terms of the UK honouring its promises, or its would-be partners might, like Lando, come to wonder what their deals are worth.The Conversation This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Tags
Prime Minister Peace Star Wars UK lessons order Rishi Sunak Uk politics favourite films good government political inspiration
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Erika Kirk delivered an emotional speech from her late husband's studio, addressing President Trump directly. She urged people to join a church and keep Charlie Kirk's mission alive, despite technical interruptions. Erika vowed to continue Charlie's campus tours and podcast, promising his mission will not end.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV