Dirhams & Dollars

Have you ever wondered what monetary policy the evil Galactic Empire had in place to finance a planet annihilating Death Star. For those of you that answered “yes” - you’re in for a treat. For those of you that said “what’s a death star?” - keep listening, because this episode has something for everybody. In celebration of the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi this week, Dirhams & Dollars team dive into a world of business and lightsabres. We tackle pressing questions inside the Star Wars universe like: What were the key sources of revenue for the Empire? How much did the Death Star cost exactly? And which US President does Emperor Palpatine most closely resemble? Back in the real world, we talk about the $4 billion Disney takeover of the Star Wars franchise in 2012, the origins of the loyalty that the series commands from its fans, and the estimated $30 billion that the merchandise alone is worth.