Serious question here: the oral history and the written history differ on the relationship of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark; there is talk that their relationship was fabricated by the resistance from the beginning.

Where do you stand on this issue?

Certainly not. It was meant foremost as Entertainment for capitol citizens like Old Roman Colosseum Fights. It also tied the Center districts who won a extremely skewed amount of Hunger Games and so received much more resources. However with a recent streak of wins purely of luck of more outer districts mean the center Districts were not happy with their lowered resources and so joined the Rebellion.

The Hunger Games functioned as a terror weapon only secondarily; they were much more effective in their primary if unstated objective, which was to foster disunity among the Districts and create a sense of helplessness against the rule of the Capitol. The skewed results, which saw the central Districts win a disproportionate amount of Games, served to bind them closer to the Capitol, while further depressing the peripheral districts.

The system was crucial to the Capitols multi-decennial reign, which proceeded largely unopposed. The demographics and economy of Panem meant that a full revolt of even a majority of the Districts would force the Capitol to ultimately deploy nuclear weapons, destroying the very Districts that provided its sustenance. Through its widespread repression system and the Games, the Capitol could ensure that no domestic resistance could mount or become linked with District 13's military.