The Untapped Power of Chambers of Commerce
In the first three episodes of Star Wars, we see the emergence of an organization that was strong enough, big enough and had sufficient resources to challenge the old Republic. No, I’m not talking about the Sith. I’m talking about the Trade Federation - a coalition of interstellar businesses that felt the Republic’s policies were getting in the way of their profit-making. Anticipating their conflict with the Republic to escalate, the Trade Federation engaged the services of General Grievous (or built him?), created a robot army (much more efficient, I say, than building a clone army) and blockaded entire planets. They were strong enough to challenge (with the help of some friends in the Sith) depose an existing regime. That must qualify as a kind of reform. But that happened in a galaxy far far away. Closer to home, businessmen’s organizations are not quite as antagonistic - they’re more like gentleman’s clubs, old money and new money coming together to represent the busines...