Rome as an Empire or a Republic?

Rome is said to have been one of the greatest civilizations to ever grace this planet but it brings the question of how it fared better. Rome had two major eras of existence: as a Republic and as an empire. Under republican rule, Rome expanded its territory form Italy to almost the entire Mediterranean world. The republic worked on a system of checks and balances that seemed to make the plebeians of the city happy as well as the patricians. The government seemed to be run like this:

Monarchical	Aristocratic	Democratic
2 Consuls + other magistrates	Senate	Assembly of Tribes Tribune
Directed government and armyActed as judges Could issue edicts Acted as chief priest	Controlled state budgetCould pass laws	Approved/rejected lawsDecided on War Tribune could veto actions of magistrate Acted as final court
Basis of power:possess imperium, the right to rule need for leadership	Basis of power:members were richest men in Rome.	Basis of power:provided most of the soldiers
Limits on power:one year term each could veto	Limits on power:could not control army needed majority as soldiers.	Limits on power:Could not suggest laws often paid as clients by the elite

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/rome-balance.html

Rome seemed to be at peace with itself and thriving across the nation. On the other side of the spectrum, though, is the Roman Empire. The Empire did not adopt these same views and appointed dictators. Differences began to crop up between patricians and plebeians and civil war was all but inevitable.Empires began to collapse under the Empire's reign. It seems very evident that Rome was much better off when it was a Republic than as an Empire.  

"Roman Republic -." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic>.

"The Decline of the Roman Empire." The Roman Empire. Web. 09 Mar. 2010. <http://roman-empire.net/decline/decl-index.html>.

"Ancient History Sourcebook: The Roman Republic: Checks and Balances." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/rome-balance.html>.