The Republic was dying while the Clone Wars caused misery and injustice, especially among some groups, who threw themselves into the arms of smuggling, theft and crime. Succeeding in such an environment required a born survivor, but it also required skill and ingenuity, like Tobias Beckett, who was an excellent thief and con man, and a notorious gunslinger.
His attempted theft of a large amount of coaxium for Dryden Vos had unpredictable repercussions for everyone involved in the heist, from Qi'ra to Han Solo himself, who would eventually get a new ship after the whole affair. But even in the time of the Empire, rogues proliferated throughout the galaxy. In some cases, like that of the archaeologist turned criminal, Dr. Chelli Aphra, her eventful life had nothing to envy to that of others who learned to survive in any way they could in those turbulent times.