A few weeks back, I had written an article about how many people expressed complaints with wikipedia and its offshoots. Around the same time I was re-reading George Orwell's 1984 and it got me thinking that wikiism held a real danger in the sense that many people were foolish enough to believe whatever was written in a wiki as absolute gospel and that led to a dangerous path. If a few people controlled information, and skewed it to serve their views or aims, and if the majority of people believed whatever was written, in essence the truth itself could be fabricated.

Coincidentally, Karen Traviss commented in my blog about doing an entry relating to her upcoming Insider fiction "Odds" which also coincidentally dealt with the same type of an issue. And so here we are, in a bit of cross blog collaboration which will pan out over the next few days. Thanks of course to her for writing another excellent story and for the opportunity of delving into this compelling issue.

I'll be looking at many various aspects of Palpatine's deceit as evidenced in Odds, much like my series on Palpatine. But this time, I'll be stepping outside of my usual form in relating it not only to the real world but especially to Orwell's book.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with 1984, it was a tale of the future in which a single political party controls all aspects of life, and all its citizens are under constant surveillance, even at home. The phrase "Big brother is watching" refers to that constant surveillance, and it is commonly referenced even today. But an even more compelling aspect beyond the lack of privacy is how the government alters the news, facts, even past history in order to make it serve their aims. And the populace is none the wiser, and believes whatever the government says.

So, without any further preamble, let's get into it.

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What would it take for you to have absolute faith in a man, a group, a government that you have never had actual contact with?

A common purpose? An alliance? A time of war in which people rally behind their leaders?

What would it take for you to cast logic and reasoning aside, toss out your gut instincts, and stop asking questions?

How long would it take before you forgot how to ask the right questions altogether?

How easily can you be manipulated?

From the very beginning, Palpatine was a born politician. Though he relied on the powers of the Dark Side and was in essence a true Sith Lord, he realized that it was not the Force that would lead to the ultimate Sith victory. He knew that deception was the key to victory: it was all about plotting and cold-blooded strategy. That is why he succeeded where other Sith failed when he took down the Jedi.

Like many politicians in our own world, Palpatine knew that the foundation to fighting any war was to first create a climate of fear and necessity. He used fear to rally the Republic around him as a guiding light for Democracy. He used fear to convince people to have faith in his government. He used fear to justify the steps he took to protect the Republic from the Separatists at all costs. Necessity was also important. Before the Jedi could even question the morality of a Clone Army, they were pressed into action to counter the droid threat. Before the Senate could consider the ramifications of giving Palpatine emergency powers, the necessity of the crisis sped them to vote in favor of that resolution.

The manipulation of fear in others has always been a key tenet of Sith teachings; Palpatine just did it on a far larger scale. Before anyone had time to think and consider their actions, they were thrust into the war of Palpatine's design. The Republic simply had to make sacrifices in order to win.

But that's the real trick isn't it? The objective of war is to win, and if sacrificing a few principles or bending a few rules ends the war quicker and with fewer casualties for our side, why not take such measures?

One might say that's sound judgment. Sometimes the best decision tactically is not the best decision morally. But sacrifices are made. Is it better to assault an enemy city and lose 50,000 men or bomb it to dust, lose no men, but kill 100,000 civilians along with the enemy soldiers? Who's to say which lives are more important, those of your fighting men or the enemy's civs?

Such was the case with the Clone Wars, except the sacrifice of principles and morality all played into the hands of Palpatine. In history, when freedoms are taken in war, after the war they are returned in most cases. But in the Clone Wars, each amendment played into Palpatine's hands, as he and his followers consolidated power while cultivating popularity with the citizenry that would allow them to form the Empire with no conflict.

Fear and necessity led to the downfall of the Republic, and the rise of the Empire. Wasn't it "necessary" to create the Empire and a safe and secure society because of the "fear" of the enemy?

In "Odds", Palpatine manipulates the war on four levels:

1. He limits the size of the Clone Army
2. He lies about the true numbers of the Separatist forces
3. He intentionally spreads the GAR thin through poor tactics on many fronts
4. He ensures that the GAR isn't given too much of an advantage in kit and armor, such as stealth coating

This all goes back to Orwell.

In the book, there are three major world powers which are all totalitarian and are in a state of perpetual war. Why? War creates a climate of fear, but most of all, war uses up supplies and goods. If goods are produced and there are plenty, then everyone has plenty and everyone's standard of living increases. But by stretching resources thin through war, the populace is kept down, poor and ignorant. In the Clone Wars, the clones aren't given camouflage or stealth armor, that would put them at an advantage. We can't have the war ended too early now, can we?

Though a lack of proper supply distribution, the GAR is kept down, and the populace experiences the shortages of war. By making the populace unhappy, you make them yearn for the war's end as quick as possible at any price. You make them latch on to Palpatine as a savior.

Then, there's the perpetual nature of war. By stretching the Republic forces thin on many fronts, no decisive action is taken, no significant progress made. Also, the numbers of the clones are limited to prevent any advantage and to keep the GAR stretched thin. The war, the status quo, and the climate of fear continue until the Jedi are weakened and Palpatine has consolidated control.

Finally, there's the real heart of the issue, without which all else would not be possible. Palpatine lies about the numbers of the droid army. He makes the threat seem greater, and makes the dire sacrifices of morality and democracy seem necessary. What's a few freedoms compared to your life, right?

Once Palpatine had the climate of fear of on his side, and once he had established his credibility, he could do anything he wanted. In Orwell's book, the government routinely made up facts, and erased history itself to suit its aims, much like Palpatine did following the creation of the Empire with his information purges.

"He who controls the past controls the present, and he who controls the present controls the future."

Through his deceptions that he fed the galaxy, the people believed that the droids had greater numbers than they really did. He made them believe a force of quadrillions was threatening to overrun them and destroy their very way of life. But it was the Dark Lord himself that was destroying their way of life.

When a small group of people become so trusted, and when they are in charge of all the information we receive, it is a recipe for destruction. There was some degree of typical propaganda, yes, but the worst of it was that Palpatine actually made things up. He outright deceived the Republic, who in their naivety trusted him unquestionably.

Palpatine controlled the truth itself, because the Republic let him. The people did his bidding and allowed him to become Emperor. The GAR did the dying while he consolidated power. And the Jedi paid the ultimate price because of their lack of vision.

Through the trust of all, Palpatine managed to control the truth himself, delivered to him on a silver platter.

Think this is all fantasy? Think again. It's happened before, and it'll happen again.


"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." - Hermann Goering