If you doubt my thesis, all you have to do is look at the majority of the senators’ reaction to Emperor Palpatine dissolving the Old Republic and creating his Empire in Revenge of the Sith. As Padme bitterly noted, “democracy died…with thunderous applause” because most of the senators were extremely happy to keep supporting Palpatine as long as they kept their jobs. Once Palpatine fired everyone, though, he effectively turned the politicians who enthusiastically supported him only 18 years ago into desperate citizens willing to fund terrorists in order to stop him.
None of this is meant to detract from the heroics of characters like Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia…they were the sword (laser sword, as it were) of the Rebellion that finally brought Emperor Palpatine down. But those Rebels wouldn’t have any weapons or significant resources without the former senators, none of whom would have helped if they hadn’t been fired. Congrats, Palpatine…not only did you destroy the Empire, but as a so-called master manipulator, you played yourself in the worst possible way.
