Bingowings said:
Besides most of the problems in the Star Wars galaxy were not caused by Vader or Palpatine (they just exploited the mess that was already there).
Again, I disagree.
The Naboo blockade is instigated by Palpatine, who orders the invasion. This is all based on deadlock in the Senate that Palpy is very possibly responsible for. The Seperatist Crisis is organized by Palpy's henchman Dooku as an excuse to use the army Palpy created. Palpy acheives power, murders the Jedi and stops the war overnight, now with his awesome army in place to enforce his will.
The galaxy was probably doin' allright if not for the millenium long machinantions of the Sith.