Talk:Crystal Empire/@comment-6364123-20130705180417

I get the whole concept of the Crystal Empire being (arguably) more advanced than Equestria in terms of magic. (Crystals usually seem to connote data storage, and we've seen stuff there involving light and energy that we previously haven't seen in the series). What didn't sit pretty with this notion was the fact that the Empire seems to be some kind of authoritarian state ruled from one pony at the top. First off, besides the name, when we see the city, it's obviously been planned. It has a centralized system with what appear to be polar addresses, and almost no growth outside the city, which strikes me as fairly odd that neither the original crystal emperors nor King Sombra developed the city any. Things get even weirder when we notice several features that HAD to be centrally planned. The city's wide avenues, which convinietnly get wide enough for mass gatherings near the center, all lead up to a central tower, a viewing balcony above, facilities for the use of the Empire's leaders, and a massive sports stadium coincidentally right next door, as if for express government use. These, unlike Celestia's castle, seem to be designed to be the spiritual, as well as civic, heart of the city. That, combined with the Roman-style culture and massive monuments, made me think of Pyongyang every time I saw the city. So, to exactly what ends were the Empire's rulers interested in such sophisticated magic technology, and how did they get so advanced as to influence a nation that literally controls the sun? I mean, most authoritarian nations put quantity over quality. This seems to be the exact opositte.

TL;DR How did a nation that seems like North Korea develop technology on the same exact path as South Korea?