What's the meaning of 'the whole vast'...

What’s the meaning of ‘the whole vast’ and ‘sclerotic edifice of power’ it’s not clear to me. Could you please make me clear the meaning.

Taken from the following sentence

‘The filth and the slums,
the open sewers and
the corruption of every government official,
the bulging prisons,
the laughable elections,
the whole vast, sclerotic edifice of power has at last brought Egyptians on to their streets.’
by Robert Fisk

Well Macs - If you drink far too much whiskey you will probably get Sclerosis of the Liver which means your Liver becomes hard and unresponsive and stops working as if its dying.

I would imagine Robert Fisk is likening the Egytian government to a “Slerotic” liver in much the same way - detached - like it has no connection with its people anymore

the whole lotta emptiness and despair, maybe?