Well, as someone who has started an official faction, will have a custom system in 4.85, as well as being the leader of a faction that does have capspam issues, I can tell you for damn sure, none of the reasons I did those thing was that I wanted to force my will on other people. I started the AFA because I saw a part of our universe that was not being represented, and a good, visible, official faction would cast a good light on an npc faction that was over looked. The reason we decided to spend the billion credits on the Tau42 system was not so we could have a place of our own, it was so we could have a vehicle to advance the Farmers role play, and we have. As an official faction the AFA has been able to effect game play, and it will be reflected in the "rules" thus becoming a real part of the game. The AFA will be allowed to land on lawful bases, and we were one of the first "unlawful" factions to start doing it. The RP was good, it didnt conflict with the cannon or history of the game, and thus the AFA will leave a lasting imprint on the Discovery universe, that is why I chose to create the AFA. I am also the leader of a Corsair faction, the Brotherhood, one of the oldest factions on the Server, and the oldest Corsair faction. I did not take command because it was going to give me the opportunity to control corsairs, or really give it to them lolwuters. I took command because it has opened up rp opportunities for my character that would never have existed without my position.
Some one said something about how anyone can make themselves grand lord admiral of the Outcasts, and the factions couldn't stop them. That may be true, but I can say I am the king of France, but unless someone besides myself believes it, and follows me, I am just some poor mental case.
I get alot out of playing this game on this server, I want to give back, and not by trying to force people to see things my way, but instead trying to con vice them that my vision for the rp is something that people want as a part of the game.