Empire: Centralized? Engineered to Fail?

[Darth Raptor]

The post-Endor warlordism that tore the Empire apart and made the New Republic's conquest of the galaxy even possible got me thinking. When the Galactic Empire's impact on civilization is analyzed, a "centralization of government" is often placed in the column of "good" things it did. But is this really true?

I have read that during his chancellorship Palpatine appointed regional governors- while the beaurocracy of the Senate was still in place. Unfortunately, I can't remember the details, but these "proto-Moffs" might have had a good deal of autonomy. As the Senate ceded more and more power to the Supreme Chancellor doesn't it follow that more and more power went to these governors?

After the dissolution of the Senate these (now military) governors became virtual autocrats who answered only to the Emperor and his inner circle. This doesn't look like the Empire really centralized the government at all. What was really accomplished was a replacement of local governments with militarized Imperial ones, nothing more.

Is a fragile union of such powerful states prone to fragmentation? Was the Empire specifically designed this way so only a Sith Lord could hold it together?

[Noble Ire]

Is a fragile union of such powerful states prone to fragmentation? Was the Empire specifically designed this way so only a Sith Lord could hold it together?

I'm pretty sure Palpatine designed it to be exactly that. He probably never suspected that both he and his apprentice would be killed at the same time (and, in fact, it seems by ROTJ, Palpatine never intended to die at all.)

[Crossroads Inc.]

Agree fully with Ire. This has been discussed before.

The Empire was MADE to fail should Palpatine ever was lost. Basically a case of "If I can't have it, no one can." He specfically set up govenors and moffs up so they would hate each other, and without him keeping them in Line, they would disolve his careful order.

As mentioned he most likely never assumed he or Vader would ever fall.

[Hedgehog's Roommate]

I beleive he also intended it so that if he failed not just his empire, but the galaxy itself would tear itself apart. He simply under estimated the Rebellion's ability to pull things together. For as long as that lasted anyway.