The Economic Woes Of The Star Wars Galaxy

04:15

December 17, 2015

This still from "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" shows Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader supervising the construction of the first Death Star. (Lucasfilm/20th Century Fox)

The Star Wars galaxy (you know, the one from long ago and far away) gets a lot of attention for its epic battles, Jedi mind tricks and walloping sounds of explosions that defy physics. But what about its galactic economic structure?

In preparation for the wide release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" on Friday, devoted fan and Washington University in St. Louis professor Zachary Feinstein put his skills in financial risk analysis to the test to answer the question: What happens to the galactic economy when the Empire falls and the Rebels take over, as seen in Episode VI?

Feinstein lays it out in his case study, "It's a Trap: Emperor Palpatine's Poison Pill," and speaks with Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson about his theory.

Guest

Zachary Feinstein, professor with the Electrical and Systems Engineering Department at Washington University in St. Louis.

This segment aired on December 17, 2015.