Architecturally, I don't think 1.000 subreddits and that different from 1.000 separately hosted forums/chans/Reddit clones (and indeed, many of those exist and

Architecturally, I don't think 1.000 subreddits and that different from 1.000 separately hosted forums/chans/Reddit clones (and indeed, many of those exist and the level of conflict and brigading among those separate communities doesn't ever reach the same level as among subreddits). I'd rather say the difference comes from keeping the same identity across communities, which allows you to easily gain fame/disgrace in one community and use it to influence another one, and an administration/moderation team with a bias and a willingness to cave to pressure.