Evey time something like this happens they end up getting the numbers completely out of balance, which screws up the demographics. We end up with a void or a bulge trying to work its way up the pyramid, or the top of the pyramid ends up out of whack with the rest and no one gets promoted. This time, they'll burn the top and that will "suck" up a load of new promotees to fill the new posts they start to create again after the purge.
Don't think I'm going to make one star.