Picking up where we left off, what sort of situation were they in now? Naturally, one brimming with vitality, where all things flourished~
Ahem, that was Chiang Kai-shek's line. What really mattered here was the Uchiha Clan's place in the world!
Izuna was one of the few Uchiha who planned for the clan's long-term future (the nature of the Sharingan meant the Uchiha cared more about individual feelings), so he understood perfectly well that their aloof pride made cooperation with other Ninja Clans difficult. But Ninja Clans gathering into villages was already the way of the world. Whether the Uchiha wanted to or not, they had to cooperate with other Ninja Clans to establish a village!
Even if they could accept temporary cooperation, though, the proud Uchiha would eventually be isolated by the other villagers. What fate would await them then... that was beyond his ability to predict! (Itachi: Indeed, I couldn't predict it either~ Obito: Right, it really was hard to predict! Uzumaki Gamu: You two have the nerve to say that?)
Things were different now, however. Madara becoming Hokage had enormously satisfied the Uchiha's sense of honor (vanity)! Having the branch families leave the Ninja Clan and fully integrate into the village meant that, at this rate, most clan members aside from the clan head's line would become part of the village within a few decades. Although that would nominally shrink the Uchiha Clan, it would also mean Uchiha blood ran throughout the village.
That way, even if the clan head's line were wiped out for some reason, as long as someone could still awaken the Sharingan, the Uchiha Clan would exist forever! It would endure alongside the village! - All right, those were really just the words Izuna used to convince himself. After all, his older brother