Before the Separatist Crisis instigated by the Confederacy of Independent Systems onset, a political group known as the Militarists operated within the Galactic Republic Senate. The members of this faction were largely unconcerned with financial matters, instead prioritizing the monitoring of Hutt Clan expansion and the eradication of pirate groups and criminal syndicates throughout the galaxy. Consequently, the Militarists advocated for the re-establishment of a formal, centralized military for the Republic, in contrast to the decentralized system of planetary defense forces backed by Republic Judicials and Sector Rangers.
Furthermore, the faction frequently aligned with the principles of the Core Faction within the Republic Senate, though they eventually shifted their focus to pursuing their own governmental objectives. However, with the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Confederacy, the Militarists merged into the Loyalist faction, which also included idealists and planets in the Rim regions facing threats.
The group known as the Militarists was initially referenced within current Star Wars canon through Rise of the Separatists. This sourcebook was released in 2019 for the Star Wars Roleplaying game series by Fantasy Flight Games. Within the Star Wars Legends continuity, the Militarist faction made its debut in the thirty-sixth issue of the 1998 Star Wars comic-book series, which formed the second part of The Stark Hyperspace War story arc. The issue was written by John Ostrander, with illustrations by Davidé Fabbri, and was published on November 28, 2001 by Dark Horse Comics.