Editing Galactic empire (section)

===Foundation and CoDominium===
In contrast to Star Wars, the galactic empires from the ''[[Foundation (book series)|Foundation]]'' universe and the ''[[CoDominium]]'' universe are relatively benign organizations. Much of the plot of the ''Foundation'' series, authored by [[Isaac Asimov]], revolves around who can best and most quickly revive the [[Galactic Empire (Isaac Asimov)|fallen galactic empire]]; it is taken for granted that this is a positive and worthy aim. In writer [[Jerry Pournelle]]'s ''CoDominium'' series, members of the empire often work to maintain the best interests of humanity despite efforts by violent political extremists to pursue their own ends.

Galactic empires are in many cases consciously modeled on historical Earth-bound empires. Asimov stated explicitly that the Galactic Empire whose fall is depicted in his ''Foundation'' books is also modeled on the [[Roman Empire]], with the author taking direct inspiration from the [[The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire|historical writings]] of [[Edward Gibbon]], even to the point of basing some [[Bel Riose#Origin|individual characters]] on historical figures. Specifically, ''[[Pebble in the Sky]]'', which is set on Earth – a poor and backward province of the Galactic Empire – is modeled on Roman-ruled [[Judea (Roman province)|Judea]] in the 1st century AD. Asimov's Earth – like the historical Judea – is sharply polarized between those who accept the Imperial authority and the fanatic "[[Zealots]]" who hatch violent plots of bloody rebellion and are the book's clear villains.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Gallant|first=Joseph|date=January 1, 1951|title=Earth People vs. the Galaxy|journal=Commentary|volume=12|pages=303–304|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1290130442|id={{ProQuest|1290130442}}}}</ref>

''Foundation'' is depicted as having started life as a Foundation of scholars, taking up just one city on one faraway planet and setting up a modest municipal government headed, naturally, by a [[Mayor]]. Through a centuries-long series of developments which are the main subject matter of the [[Foundation Series]], the Foundation gains enormous power and territory and comes to rule virtually as many stellar systems as the earlier fallen Empire - but continues to call itself "Foundation" rather than "Empire", and its ruler - though wielding as much power as any Emperor - retains the title of "Mayor".