Regarding ethics and centralization, what came to my mind was how today the absence of ethics is what is placed in the center. It doesn't make things any better, of course, but think about when ethics, and morals, and norms guiding our lives was also centralized... in the hands of the pope for example. Leave the decision over what's right and wrong to one person, or even a small group on top of the pyramid, and witch trials and crusades become okay. At least today we have gotten away from that notion sufficiently to at least decide for ourselves over what's good and evil. As I said, it doesn't make much of a difference if we can't / won't act on it in practice, but at least I can assume I won't be burnt at the stake for philosophizing.