[georgelucas4greedo]

Well all know that the Senate was dissolved about a third of the way into ANH, which sounds significant until theres no mention of it ever again. Which is probably a good thing because galatic politics and Lucas dont get along too well. But any way, I know at least one of you knows what the Senate's roll was while the Empire was cosolidating its power.

[Stray nerf]

Historicaly, Even Rome had a senate along with an emperor at times.
It equates similar to a student council in high school. You have a venue to express your opinions to the ruler, but your real power...isn't. It's pure appeasement.

He left the senate intact while setting up the Moffs to control their various sectors, to preserve some illusion that he gave a rat's ass what the people thought, and was their benevolent protector. In fact
many citizens of the Empire liked the structure and order the Empire brought. We all need some degree of stability..

When things were getting rough with the rebellion threatening to destroy their most awesome weapon of control, the Emperor (who had the military in place for years enough to maintain control of the galaxy) had enough, told the senate to sod off, and there wasn't a thing they could do.

[Darth Player]

Assuming from what we see onscreen, the Senate gets dissolved because the death Star has become operational, so there's no need for negotiation and debate if the Emperor has this super weapon, as Tarkin says "Fear will keep them in line, fear of this battlestation."The Senate was needed to show that the Emperor/Empire were malovent and hence the bad guys because if they could push a perfect or near perfect order on the galaxy that everyone would accept, they wouldn't be bad guys at all. It was also not needed to continue as factions developed within it that sought to undermine Palpatine, hence Leia's mission (she was a Senator after all at the beginning of ANH). Also, with palpatine getting a consolidation or hold on his power he didn't need to support the drunken alien rabble losers in the Senate, and they could either go drown their sorrows at the Mos Eisley Cantina, Jabba's Palace, or join the Rebellion.

[floppydisk]

I was under the impression that they rolled snake eyes.

[Stray nerf]

Yeah, you are more correct than me technically; the Death Star's completion was probably the biggest factor, but I maintain that the Senate was purely a cosmetic instution at that point anyway.

And while they did have military control of the galaxy, only something as terrible as having their planted blasted out from under them could really silence all the critics.