User blog comment:AveryWood/Reasons Why Going With the Empire is Better/@comment-1218590-20120816180231/@comment-2022867-20120819234510

From what I understand, the Thalmor were ready to start the war when the emmisarry pulled the cart holding the heads of the Blades into the Imperial city. It wasn't like, "Oh, hey be our slaves, No? Ok here's the heads of the Blades, we'll be back in a year to start a war so get your army ready." Pretty much every Blade on the isles dead, and probably only the Blades had any idea what the Thalmor were planning, if one survived long enoight to get back and warn the order. So there was no way for the Empire to be ready for a war of such magnitude.

In the short term, yeah Skyrim by herself is better off inependent. But think about it, If the empire dies, and every province is only worried about themselves,as in not sending help to any other province to fight the Thalmor, the Dominion will just take it one province at a time, until all of Tamriel returns to (cruel) elven rule.

The only reason Hammerfell isn't taken is because if the Dominion sent a sizable chunk of their forces there, it would be easy for the Empire to counterstrike and deal a crippling blow. And before you say the Dominion would just hop on ships and sail away, any tactician worth thier salt would have ships out to sea ready to pursue and eliminate the retreating Thalmor.

Another point I would like to make is times change, once independent nations, once accustomed to trade, don't fare well returning to independence. Do you thank any first world nation could thrive if they just stopped trading? I doubt it, populations grow, technology improves, and most nations do a lot of exporting to float their economy. I know that the elder scrolls don't advance as drasiclally as real word, but you get my point.