The New Republic's Recovery after the Fall of the First Order in Star Wars

It wouldn't be an unreasonable assumption that the New Republic managed to recover after the fall of the First Order, but there is presently no canonical material covering the events following The Rise of Skywalker. Likely, the intent of expanded content at present is to address inter-film questions or explore pre-prequel eras that have been largely ignored since Disney acquired the franchise.

The New Republic's Losses and Challenges

The New Republic faced a significant setback when Coruscant and its core planets were lost in the first strike by the First Order. This loss was too severe to be overcome easily. The Republic, with its leadership decimated, essentially ceased to exist as an effective governing body. Local politicians, warlords, and criminal cartels carved out their own domains, leading to total Balkanization.

Galactic History and Economic Chaos

In understanding the resilience and challenges of the New Republic, it is crucial to delve into galactic history. The Galactic Republic, which was incapable of effectively administering its vast territory, faced a split with many worlds either joining or being annexed by the Separatist Alliance. This resulted in a massive war that devastated many worlds, centered around the InterGalactic Banking Clan (IGBC).

The InterGalactic Banking Clan's Downfall

In peacetime, the IGBC was the central financial hub of the galaxy, providing essential banking services. However, in wartime, Palpatine exploited the IGBC's desire for wealth by tricking them into financing both sides of the conflict. This was a ruse; the IGBC deeply overextended themselves, assuming they would charge exorbitant interest rates from the victors while being first in line for reparations from the losers.

After the war, the IGBC realized there were no victors or losers, and their leaders were killed, their wealth squandered. This led to a massive depression, credit drying up, and loans grinding to a halt. Regular people lost everything, and the galaxy faced physical devastation, making money virtually worthless.

The Galactic Empire's Reign of Fear

The declining IGBC suffered from the rise of the Galactic Empire, which neglected the well-being of regular citizens. Instead, they focused on expanding their military and seizing useful resources. The Empire used fear to maintain control, imprisoning and enslave those who complained about the enforcement of poverty and devastation.

The New Republic's Potential for Recovery

The Rebel Alliance managed to overthrow the Galactic Empire, but the underlying economic problems remained, exacerbated by continued warfare and the monumental task of dismantling the Imperial apparatus. Does the New Republic ever fully recover?

The New Republic, given enough time, could potentially raise the overall standard of living to levels that might even exceed the pre-war Galactic Republic. However, the challenges are immense. The galaxy is a vast, deeply ingrained corrupt place, filled with extreme physical and financial devastation. Any process of rebuilding and restructuring would take decades or possibly centuries.

The Road to Recovery

With the destruction of the First Order and the ultimate demise of Palpatine, the New Republic has a considerable time frame to rebuild. Within a set of realistic expectations, they can rebuild and improve the state of the Galactic Republic, but the task will not be easy.

The New Republic faces a daunting task in the short term, but with the passage of time and a dedicated effort, they have the potential to not only recover but also to meet and, possibly, surpass the achievements of the pre-war Galactic Republic.