Morale

Morale is the current general wellbeing of your empire and the extent to which the laypeople agree with your rule. It is measured from 1-7 with a morale of one meaning your empire is in revolt (you will recieve no income, no science, no culture, and not have access to any ore).

Morale is important as high morale can increase income per turn, and low morale leads to rebellion, the peaceful annexation of your planets by other empires, and eventually total revolt.

Morale is in battle with other organisations' culture. When the cultural influence of another organization on a planet exceeds current morale of the empire, that planet will often ask the enemy organization to be peacefully annexed. If morale is low (1-3), and no organizations have high Culture on any of your planets, your planets may enter into rebellion.

Morale can be improved by investments in culture (small boosts to morale that stack over time), and investments in propoganda (large boosts to morale that decay in one turn). Culture will also allow you to attack other players' morale. And, defense will not improve morale, but it will make rebellion less effective against you, and will decrease the chances of peaceful annexation of your planets.