The New Republic passed multiple policies which lead to the demilitarization of the Federal military. We take a look at why Chancellor Mon Mothma decided to lead the galaxy down this path.
Mon Mothma was a human female politician and revolutionary leader who served in the Galactic Senate and Imperial Senate as the representative of Chandrila, the leader of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, and the first Chancellor of the New Republic. Mothma came to political prominence during the Separatist Crisis and the Clone Wars when, along with such allies as Senators Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala, she became an outspoken proponent of peace between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. She also spoke out against the increase in executive power given to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who transformed the Republic into the Empire at the war’s end.
Mothma worked with Organa and other allies to plant the seeds of rebellion against the Imperial regime. Mothma left the Senate after publicly denouncing Emperor Palpatine, which was soon followed by the establishment of the Rebel Alliance. Mothma sanctioned the recruitment of Jyn Erso, who led the Rogue One squadron in stealing the Death Star plans during the Battle of Scarif. After the Battle of Yavin saw the destruction of the Death Star, Mothma led the Alliance through the Galactic Civil War. The Battle of Endor, which Mothma helped plan with the Alliance High Command, saw the first death of Emperor Palpatine and left the Empire in chaos.
In Endor‘s aftermath, the Rebellion formed the New Republic and headquartered the new Galactic Senate on Chandrila. Mothma was elected as the first chancellor of the New Republic Senate and intended to do away with Palpatine’s emergency powers, which the Senate gave to the office of the New Republic chancellery. She also intended to demilitarize the Republic, hoping to cut the New Republic Defense Fleet by ninety percent while leaving the defense of member worlds to the worlds themselves. When the war with the Empire finally came to end, the Republic and the Imperial remnants signed the Galactic Concordance and the Republic passed the Military Disarmament Act. The end of Mothma’s chancellery brought a close to a period of unity in the Republic, with several political factions, such as the Centrists and the Populists, breaking out in disagreement over the best future for the new government.