Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-76.97.80.106-20130811163656/@comment-14138255-20140424221729

I believe the Empire gives people more incentive to fight (as in, you have to fight) and thus a better way to mobilize as opposed to every nation for itself.

But in the event the Empire does fracture, it would give the benefits of diverse economies, tactical creativity, and joint maneuvering that all military alliances in history have enjoyed (something which a unified but cumbersome nation cannot always pull off [anyone who knows Mass Effect lore knows this most of all).