The Empire is the first known instance of a meritocracy. The Emperor is chosen by a vote through councils that spring from the various regions of its influence. People’s stance towards the Empire greatly vary depending on how they were affected by it during the conflicts that arose from its expansion.
This new order of things has the veneer of trying to break away from the tradition of sticking with the community by allowing individuality to have a greater importance to climb the social echelons. It is obviously not all perfect in there. Those coming from wealthy families and positions of influence are more likely to succeed and keep perpetuating their position through generations, however it is a society where daring moves to climb and entrepreneurial spirit are rewarded by the community at large. A street urchin may end up as a respected scholar in a magic school through hard work. There are several groups/guilds that roam the lands in order to find gifted individuals to bring back in service to the Empire. When everyone is treated the same, it is difficult to make your group of people feel important.
Dragons are very present within the confines of the Empire. They are revered as guides and source of wisdom by the dragonborn. Although they are not seen on a daily basis, their “territories” have greatly grown thanks to the expansion of the Empire. Other people are understandably less enthusiastic about dragons living close to them.