MichaelSomething
Legend
The short answer is yes.Serious question, I skipped from 1e to 5e (with a long period of not being engaged in the hobby at all). 2e wasn't to different from 1e from what little I remember of it. Did 3, 3.5, and 4e attempt to constrain the DM through rules and mechanics? I can't image that was very successful, though I wasn't around to experience it.
The long answer would lead to edition wars.