Trade Federation

Definition

The Trade Federation is a powerful commercial bloc in the Galactic Republic, with its own merchant fleets and droid armies giving it major political weight.

Role in the prequels

The Federation imposes a blockade on Naboo, triggering the crisis that pulls Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala into the story. It later joins the Separatists.

Why it matters

The Trade Federation shows that the galaxy can be destabilized by corporations, not only by politics or the Force. It is a key lever Palpatine uses to set the Clone Wars in motion.