The way that centralization works in Christianity is that Christ's authority is over all. As far as humans are concerned, centralization is discouraged. Neither is individualism, though, and there is a certain balance. The balance involves the limits of human relationships. Authority, power, and rules are very related to relationships. As we are all God's creatures we are his subjects, and as we (Christians) are saved and specially known by God we are specially held accountable to His fatherly authority. While God is infinite and can know everything and everybody, we are limited and can only know certain things. Thus, our authority is limited because our relationships are limited. That is why the family is so important to a biblical society. It is the relational unit that can work, play, eat, sing, live together, with much specificity and detail - including what's for dinner. The broader the jurisdiction, the more limited the power, and, of course, limited in different ways depending on whether it is church, state, etc... When people are unsatisfied with the limited authority they have, and seek to centralize power, they divorce relationships from authority. Sooner or later it will be detrimental to that society (if not blatant tyranny).
"Woe to those who join house to house,
who add field to field,
until there is no more room,
and you are made to dwell alone
in the midst of the land."
(Isaiah 5:8)
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