system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Star Wars] Were there signs of the coming dictatorship of the empire during Palpatine's first term as chancellor before the separatist conflict?

When could the first signs be seen if one payed attention?
gpt
Oh sure. The Senate had been declining in power for years, democracy was dying, corrupt factions like the Trade Federation were amassing power.  Even the Jedi were playing politics instead of policing the galaxy. The rise of a corrupt authoritatarian like Palps was inevitable.