DogeDandolo Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Inspired by Vasdrakken's thread, this question has been going around my head for a bit: The Jedi Order is not a commercial organisation. It does not produce anything, nor does it take money for the services it provides. Yet the Order requires large amounts of money to support a vast population of monastic Jedi, keep up training and recruitment all over the galaxy, outfit its members with expensive weaponry and (occasionally) starships, etc. Looking at the medieval Church in comparison (since I'm a historian and the Jedi really are a religious order), I see three possible sources of funding: 1) Land holding and agriculture. Medieval monasteries and churches were feudal overlords to significant stretches of land, and drew most of their funding from them. I've read that failed Jedi are sent to work in agricultural projects on worlds like Telos (though of course Telos was destroyed in KOTOR 2), are these worlds owned by the Jedi Order and used to finance it? 2) A stipend from the Galactic Republic. Alternatively, the Order could be dependent on a contractual agreement with the Republic. In this arrangement, the Republic raises a kind of Church tithe with its taxes, which is used to support the Order. In addition, the Order is provided some of the Republic's services free of charge (such as access to lightsabre crystals and transportation). This would fit well into the more general close relationship between the Jedi and the Republic in this period. 3) Donations. Medieval monasteries gained significant sources of income by pressuring the families of novices into donating either money, incomes or holdings. This seems unlikely for the Jedi Order, since the Jedi have an obligation to train every Force-sensitive they can get their hands on. Still, is it expected that the parents of wealthier padawans (like Nomar Organa) donate generously to the Jedi Order? I realise that the Jedi most likely have incomes in all three brackets, but which predominates in your opinion / in the EU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKatarn Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 1) Land holding and agriculture. Medieval monasteries and churches were feudal overlords to significant stretches of land, and drew most of their funding from them. I've read that failed Jedi are sent to work in agricultural projects on worlds like Telos (though of course Telos was destroyed in KOTOR 2), are these worlds owned by the Jedi Order and used to finance it? I don't really believe that the Jedi Order "owns" planets. Not even Ilum, where most of their Adegan Lightsaber crystal supply comes from, belongs to the Jedi Order, that planet does not even formally belong to the Republic. If anything, I could believe that the Republic perhaps grants the Jedi some level of jurisdiction over a planet. Tython would certainly fit that. It's the home world of the Jedi Order and from what we saw in the game, it's the Jedi who run the show there, not the Republic directly. 2) A stipend from the Galactic Republic. Alternatively, the Order could be dependent on a contractual agreement with the Republic. In this arrangement, the Republic raises a kind of Church tithe with its taxes, which is used to support the Order. In addition, the Order is provided some of the Republic's services free of charge (such as access to lightsabre crystals and transportation). This would fit well into the more general close relationship between the Jedi and the Republic in this period. Well, the Jedi Order has sworn an oath to be the defenders of the Republic, but, as is pointed out primarily during the whole Fate of the Jedi book series, they are NOT a governmental institution. The Republic has no actual command over the Jedi Order and they act outside of the Republic's lawful oder military jurisdiction. They "ask" the Jedi Order for compliance and/or assistance, but the Jedi are not like a group of special forces soldiers, so I am not entirely convinced that the Jedi Order is receiving money from the Republic on a regular basis. Then again, in this era the cooperation between Jedi and Republic seems a lot more solid than in other eras, like post-Galactic Civil War or even during the Clone Wars. 3) Donations. Medieval monasteries gained significant sources of income by pressuring the families of novices into donating either money, incomes or holdings. This seems unlikely for the Jedi Order, since the Jedi have an obligation to train every Force-sensitive they can get their hands on. Still, is it expected that the parents of wealthier padawans (like Nomar Organa) donate generously to the Jedi Order? This appears to be the most likely scenario. I recall from the prequel era that the Jedi Order received support from wealthy financial benefactors that were mostly off-the-books. Bail Organa was one such benefactor who understood the importance of the Jedi and their role in protecting the Republic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spetulhu Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I'm sure they do produce something that can be sold. Your medieval church had monasteries that produced all sorts of things, often free of local taxes (or lower taxes). Idle hands and all that, a monk should be doing something even when not praying, on duty or asleep. Fine drink for one thing, though it would take a lot to buy a ship. Copying of books, or research into obscure subjects - the church was the entity that kept all the old books safe after all, even if they noted "it's Greek, don't read it" on some. And while the Jedi might not ask for money it could be customary to offer the Order a gift fitting to the station of the person getting help. A farmer gives the Jedi that helped him food, a mechanic offers to service his speeder, a wealthy noble donates money to the Order and so on. Jedi Knights aren't bounty hunters but they could still ask any reward for a criminal apprehended be given to the Order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogeDandolo Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) I'm sure they do produce something that can be sold. Your medieval church had monasteries that produced all sorts of things, often free of local taxes (or lower taxes). Idle hands and all that, a monk should be doing something even when not praying, on duty or asleep. Fine drink for one thing, though it would take a lot to buy a ship. Copying of books, or research into obscure subjects - the church was the entity that kept all the old books safe after all, even if they noted "it's Greek, don't read it" on some. True, but the Jedi are rather more warrior monks than cloistered prayer brothers. Maybe the Jedi Knights are only a minority and we never see the millions of Jedi brewers, holocron scribes, beekeepers and artisans because seriously, would you read that? In the absence of evidence towards that, it seems unlikely that the Order gains significant income from products created by its members. And while the Jedi might not ask for money it could be customary to offer the Order a gift fitting to the station of the person getting help. A farmer gives the Jedi that helped him food, a mechanic offers to service his speeder, a wealthy noble donates money to the Order and so on. Jedi Knights aren't bounty hunters but they could still ask any reward for a criminal apprehended be given to the Order. That sounds reasonable. Donations and payments for good deeds would certainly support individual Jedi as an order of friars, as would salaries for Jedi Knights serving in the Republic's armed forces. But it seems a stretch to have these donations also support the billions of younglings and padawans, not to mention the administrative and teaching staff of the Order and its training centres. I just realised that it must be pretty easy to game the stock markets with the Force guiding you, lol. Edited October 27, 2014 by DogeDandolo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragondog Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) I doubt there were ever billions of padawans and younglings to take care of. The Jedi Order seems to have been much smaller than that. But on where they got their money, I have nothing to add at this time. Except to suggest, that perhaps, the Force provided for the Order. Edited October 27, 2014 by Dragondog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianDavion Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I suspect their funding comes from a varity of soruces. donations are a proably fairly major one. and the republic also likely provides SOME supplies and support. the Jedi likely have special arrangements with the republic. while they're independant yes, at the same time they likely have no problems negotigating special arrangements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Wicked Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) The Jedi are the Knights Templar in disguise. Trust me. Edited October 27, 2014 by Darth_Wicked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelefantos Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) The Jedi are the Knights Templar in disguise. Trust me. Oh dear. Wait, so the Jedi are Templar. So ... ... ... the Sith are Assassins and actually the good guys? Edited October 28, 2014 by Darkelefantos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Wicked Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Oh dear. Wait, so the Jedi are Templar. So ... ... ... the Sith are Assassins and actually the good guys? Remember: Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelefantos Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Remember: Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Not the biggest fan of the Italian AC Games. Prolonged exposure to the lighting in Rome and Venice caused me some headaches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selenial Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 You get mail as a consular from someone who died's mother, IIRC. I might be completely wrong on the class and basis, but there's definitely a mail where she says she's decided to make sizeable annual donations to the Jedi order in honour of you trying to save her son.... So I'd say donations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PharaohXYZ Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 (edited) The Jedi use their insight into the future through the force to make big $$ on the stock market. Edited October 29, 2014 by PharaohXYZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianDavion Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 one thing to ask is how much money the Jedi NEED. Let's assume for a moment that the Jedi number in the realm of 100,000 Knights this seems like a tiny number but it means they're literally ten times as big as the Jedi order during the clone wars. which numbered only 10,000 Knights. Now let's look at the supplies every Knight is going to carry. A Jedi's typical equipment will consist of a lightsaber, robes, maybe some armor, a utility belt containing a grappling hook, food rations etc. and transport. really when you consider the galatic population combined with the Jedis numbers a insignfcigent amount of funding from the republic combined with modest donations would proably be all the Jedi needed, considering they likely try to live very humbly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaincr Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 They raise money by bullying the nerd races across the galaxy out of their lunch money. Then give them a collective force swirly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegatronShredder Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 They get funds from the corpses they loot while grind their levels with the 12 X Exp event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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