Economic and Cultural Impact
Economy
The Galactic economy took a severe hit during the Reaper War, and in the past sixteen years the galaxy still hasn't been able to recover its former levels of trade. Vast regions of space remain out of reach due to the thorough infrastructural destruction by the Reapers. Systems remain unable to participate in the galactic community because they have no ports or fuel stations nearby, and damaged mass relays in their vicinity. So far, only the main shipping lines have been opened; the Meade Cluster-Apien Crest-Aethon Cluster route, the Local Cluster-Arcturus Stream-Exodus Cluster route and the Anansi-Ishtar shipping lane in the Hades Nexus are functional.
Trade inside asari and salarian space are going on in a fervent speed, however. These intra-colony trading lines were easier to recover and thus became functional within a few years of the war. This gives asari and salarians an edge in economic matters, bringing them on par with the volus.
Currently, among the major races, volus economy is the strongest due to their extensive financing apparatus. The salarians are a close second, dominating the tech markets even more so than before. Losing much of their inter-relay trade, the asari fall into third place. Along with their Elcor and Raloi clients, and free worlds like Illium and Nevos, the asari republics can come neck-to-neck with the Salarian Union, but the Union still leads. RATED - OMEGA
Meanwhile, the hanar and the quarian economies have grown exponentially. The Illuminated Primacy have exceptional technological and scientific apparatus, ones relatively left untouched by the war. This has allowed them to maintain strong mid-tier positions in the economic ladder. The Rannoch Conclave joins them in the same tier by virtue of the extensive robotics and automation industries that have sprang up in the quarian-geth worlds in the Perseus Veil. RATED - DELTA
The Hierarchy, although in the lower tier, has the support of the volus – although for how long, it remains to be seen. We are still busy in redeveloping and repopulating our own worlds, and along with that the Hierarchy military has the responsibility to maintain peace in the galaxy, constantly battling the threats from Terminus and other unsavory places. Our economy is in ruins, our ability to provide our citizens with a prosperous life at risk. In the event of any future conflict, the Hierarchy's ability to stand alone is in question. We simply cannot afford a war without the volus support; and if they do not hold their bargains, we shall be quite literally ruined.
The Systems Alliance are pretty much on the same position as we are, which is remarkable considering they do not have the support of the volus like we do. Standing alone they have managed to build up their economy into a bigger one than it was pre-war. Their small colonies and outposts dotting the Hades Nexus and the Attican Traverse have helped them immensely in this endeavor, and so have their influx of immigrant aliens – mostly asari and non-hegemonic batarians. Considering their prodigious abilities in destruction as well rebuilding, it is the Spirits' graces that the humans are our allies. RATED - DELTA
The lowest of the economic ladder is made up by the krogan, the batarian hegemony, and the vorcha. Although the Terminus Coalition can be considered a mid-tier economic powerhouse if they manage to come together, the mere fact that they cannot in reality denies them that rank. RATED - BETA
Rachni and Vorcha do not have the concept of money; it's fruitless to talk about their economies.
Culture
This is an interesting point to talk about; let's begin from the bottom of the pecking order.
The krogan federation are developing their economy; but in practicality they are a bankrupt nation surviving on aid packages. Although Tuchanka is thriving under Urdnot Wrex, the krogan have almost two millennia of catching up to do, and it is not easy; and with the CDEM fleet watching over them to enforce the Farixen treaty, krogan spaceports are performing well under capacity – nobody really wants to invest in Tuchanka. The former batarian world of Camala, now a krogan colony, is faring a bit better, but as a whole krogan are not a considerable player in the galactic field. Krogan culture has not really changed from them being survivalist brutes, however they are a bit more accepting of aliens now, especially humans and turians. RATED - BETA
The batarian hegemony are facing a unique problem: it isn't like there are not enough batarians to ensure continuity of civilization, it's just that no batarian with an ounce of free will wants to go back to hegemonic rule again. Shortly after the war, a civil war broke out on Khar'shan, their twelfth in Citadel history. Captain Ka'hairal Balak, senior officer of the batarian armada, was killed, and former hegemons installed a puppet emperor from the old Bangshuk dynasty. Under the puppet regime the hegemony has once again become a mafia state, but this time they have to deal with the prospect of holocaust and a ruined world. This is why the hegemony is quickly coming into the salarian bloc; unable to deny their support to rebuild the infrastructure of Khar'shan, unwilling to ignore lucrative aid packages and financial amenities, and eager to replenish salarian ranks as enforcers and shock troops for high pay. The hegemony is now little more than paid thugs for the Dalatrasses at Sur'kesh. RATED - BETA
Batarians who are not aligned with the hegemony have created the Independent Colonies – a ring of colony worlds nearing the Traverse and the Terminus. Some of these batarians are migrating to Alliance and Asari space as citizens, some joining the Terminus Coalition, and the rest just intent to live away their lives in peace and away from the hegemony. It seems, the continuity of batarian civilization shall be on colonies like Lorek or Adek, not Khar'shan itself. Citadel Council have twice entertained the bill to declare the independent colonies as the legitimate representatives of the batarian race, the bill has been shut down by the salarians both times. RATED – BETA+
The hanar and drell, the elcor and raloi, and the volus – these races do not have much of a cultural impact on pretty much anyone but themselves. Elcor poetry and fine arts are appreciated in a very small niche circle amongst galactic elites, but that seems to be it. The volus have built the galactic market singlehandedly, and thus everything business-related has their influence; but salarian, asari and human corporations constantly try to defy volus supremacy regarding these matters, and one day they will succeed. The drell are incredible sportsmen, but the praise goes to individuals, not the collective. RATED - BETA
Salarian views of moral relativism and Machiavellian philosophy is increasingly popular in many arenas of the galaxy. The hanar adore it, the batarians love it. Even the drell, ever-compassionate religious beings, are drawn to the sheer effectiveness of salarian doctrines. It is indeed a espionage coup by the Masters at Sur'kesh – salarians are creating a homogenous mentality within all their allies, vassals and client races, where there are many races physically, but only salarians in mentality. RATED - ALPHA
Turian and Quarian culture is very similar, due to us both being dextro-amino races. The only noticeable difference in the living philosophies of these two biological cousins are this – while the quarians can seem selfish in their tendency to survive and look after their own, the turians are born with the innate belief that all life is to be protected by the Hierarchy, and every turian has a duty to protect his fellow beings at the detriment of his own. However, despite the differences the suits (not that they wear them anymore) go along rather well with us, especially on an individual level. Turian media, music and customs have a large impact on quarians, and they tend to copy a lot of things from the Hierarchy, things they did not have a notion of during their 300-year exile. Surprisingly, their Geth friends are very fond of humans; idolizing them to an extent, possibly due to the deeds of Commander Shepard and the general human acceptance of geth as equal beings, more so than other races. RATED - ALPHA
Human culture is like a gaping abyss with thousands of whirlpools inside – it is extremely vast and varied; at times complicated and childishly rudimentary on others. Truly noble in some philosophies, vile and selfish in others. It is a matter of surprise how vast and detailed human culture is, and how diversified. Although their civilization is younger than most, they have contemplated many existential questions and paradoxes. Their teachings have shown many paths to life. This is why they have the second most influential cultures in the galaxy, enamoring even the Hierarchy's own people.
Human religion is thus very popular amongst aliens – Hinduism and Buddhism amongst asari, turians and drell, Islam amongst batarians and krogan, Catholicism and Mormonism among hanar. Human arts are very popular in the galactic community; scribes like Rumi, Camus, Tagore and Shakespeare, musicians like Lennon, Mercury and Bach, remastered holovids like Godfather and James Bond being bestsellers centuries after their times. Humans have an imposing presence in media, including on-demand holovid streaming, ultramax theaters, popular music and gaming. It is spread across the galaxy and has considerable influence over most races. RATED - DELTA
But however influential human culture is, it cannot hold a candle to the asari. The asari, who have been dominating galactic politics and culture for almost ten millennia, have an unquestionable lead in the matters of all things cultural. It is for a reason that Siari is the most popular religion in the galaxy, that asari music is the most listened to, that asari writings are the most read, asari analytics and online writing the most credible, and asari cultural niches the most copied. It is for a reason that quarian girls and human girls alike aspire to be like an asari consort, it is for a reason that turian and human academics aspire to achieve even a fraction of the matriarchs that are surely leading in their fields, and every young nation tries to instill the values and procedures of the asari republics. Asari culture is by far the most influential in the galaxy, with leading superiority in diplomacy, academia and entertainment. This makes it easier for them to influence other races. RATED – OMEGA