Yes; I do believe that. Your conflation of the Core Worlds with the New Republic is, of course, vastly over simplified, but I would expect little more of someone who can assert with a straight face that the Trade Federation was "allied" with the Empire, or that trade routes (most of which were established thousands of years ago) are the cause of the shameful neglect of fully half of the galaxy. But essentially, yes, that is what I believe. Judging by your condescending observation that it was "long ago" for me (although anything you wish to blame the Empire for took place quite entirely within my father's generation), I imagine you believe you have some information which I would find enlightening.