In any event, we have the
canonical answer. I cited the Wook, which cites Leland Chee settling the matter. You know, the guy hired by George Lucas to be the "holocron keeper" and issue definitive statements on questions of this nature? We can all argue that what's seen on the screen isn't in line with what's officially declared to be canonical, but as has been noted: what's seen on screen in SW is often not realistic (or even
physically possible) anyway.
It's the same as with the length of the
Executor, where various sources gave different figures, and some observers deduced yet different figures from their own analysis of what was shown on screen... but in the end, George Lucas just said how long it was, and that's basically the end of the debate. What he says is canonical, the rest is pure fanon. (Granted, it's not unheard-of for fanon to be better or more sensible than what Lucas insists is true, but that doesn't change the matter. Saying "it's really this size because I think that's more sensible" is akin to saying "my opinion is more true than canon".)
Regarding "space realism" in general:
Not really. A lot of sci-fi settings do really interesting space battles based off realistic scale. Warships in Legends of the Galactic Heroes exchanging fire is a work of art to behold.
True that it can be done, and done well. Completely different beast, but
The Expanse also managed this to spectacular effect.
Generally spaking, though, soft sci-fi (and SW is the very softest of soft, basically Space Fantasy) tends to just be totally unrealistic in countless ways. X-Wings fly like airplanes because that's how Lucas liked it, and screw the fact that
Space Doesn't Work Like That, George.
Anyway, another thread of conversation that I still had an in-progress response for:
Is it possible that with all of these different sects of Jedi with varying extremes of beliefs, in-fighting start to occur? Like the more zealous groups start viewing the other less rigged groups as heretics? The light side crusaders for example accuse the secs that allow Dathomirian witches/Nightsisters (even the books couldn't seem to make up their minds as to whether these were different factions or not) of allowing themselves to be corrupted by the darkside and letting it's agents freely walk among them The Celibate monks give their whole "Attachment leads to fear" spill against those that openly celebrate attachments. ect ect...?
You'd still see shades of that falling into zealotry and decedents from the prequels, but I don't think it'd be a retread.
Internal turmoil is certainly possible. The enemy, here, however, is Space Sparta -- and too much internal division would really screw the galaxy over.
So one might either make the enemy a more expeditionary force (strong, but limited in numbers) or prevent the galaxy from being
too divided.
Either way, the bottom line would be "how do we find a way to productively work together, without sacrificing the freedom and individuality that we value". (After all, going full
Unionism Or Bust! would also be a response to invasion, but that would just turn you into what you're fighting: a hegemonic, monolithic power that values enforced unity over freedom and pluralism.)
As so often, it all comes down to a question of balance between extremes.