Reasons for Imperial racism

[cheshire]

We all pretty well accept that the Empire had an anti-alien bias. They didn't rise to the ranks in the Imperial Navy, and very few have any positions of any real standing in the Empire.

I was wondering if one of the many reasons why might have had a practical (not justifiable, but practical) edge to some of that. I've been looking through some of the glorious FFG art, and there are all manner of aliens in Alliance flight suits and helmets. I couldn't help but think of what a logistic nightmare the acquisition of a handful of Quarren flight helmets, or a single Xexto flight suit might be. While the Alliance is generally grateful for all the talent it gets, the Empire generally has a mass-production model to it's resources, whether they be personnel or material goods. So, the Empire makes or orders the materials for the military they have in mind. The Empire can easily order thousands (or millions) of flight suits, armor pieces, or helmets to accommodate their navy. If the uniform doesn't fit, then that being probably doesn't belong in the navy.

Thoughts?
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[CRMcNeill]

That may have been a facet of it, but racism against aliens in the EU seemed to run deeper than that.

And apparently, it predated the Empire, with even the Sith having to build their plans around it.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Savar]

I did read and wish I remembered where. That the emperor drive some of it. I think it was a description of Thrawn.

[Mikael Hasselstein]

I think it's a mistake to try to conjure up materialist or rational reasons for the racism.

Peoples who have had privilege in the world/galaxy tend to have worldviews that justify that privilege. The idea that that privilege might be taken away and that they'll have to live on their own merits tends to terrify them. There's probably also some subconscious collective cognitive dissonance going on which makes them quite hostile when they encounter evidence that the 'other' is not underprivileged for any good reason other than historical accident. Quite naturally, they'll look at those without privilege with deep apprehension, and even fear.

I'm sure that the Emperor stoked that fear in order to build up his own power, but I think it's a little cheap to dump it all on Palpatine.

[Savar]

[garhkal]

I think a lot of it was mostly was based on fires stoked by Palpaltine, but a lot of it also came down to a person's own racism/speciesim.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Whill]