Lucas wasn't a big fan of the studio system and how producers controlled films, so when he made Star Wars, he kept full control, outside of the home video rights for the first film. The idea would be the creators, directors, writers, etc. would have control over their work.
The first film was a huge success because of everyone, Lucas included. But it was people like the DP who lied to Lucas and didn't shoot in soft focus and his wife who won an Oscar for her cut of the film (the original cut was apparently very long and considered boring by those who saw it) that kept him in check and helped make it a success. With Empire Lucas clashed with Kasdan and the director Kershner over the film, but it all worked out in the end. When RotJ came around, Lucas decided he was a fan of the studio system, as he wanted to be the overlord producer. He wanted a director who would do what he wanted. With that began his resentment. Star Wars became his thing, that he was responsible for the success for. He discounted all the artist and crew that made it come to life. It should be noted he was going through a divorce at the time, and I don't like to get in to the particulars about that. But he changed quite a bit at that time, and it could be seen in Temple of Doom and RotJ.
When Lucas came back to Star Wars, he asked Kasdan to return, and Kasdan refused. Why? Speculation is abound, but my opinion is that he knew George would no longer listen. This seemed to play out, as Lucas surrounded himself with yes men (watch or listen to any of the prequel special features or commentaries) and had no one to challenge on the prequels. He wrote them himself and directed them himself, with very little input and apparently no push back.
Now no matter how you feel about the prequels, they have taken a lot of criticism, and this has hurt George. He considered the prequels his sole vision and thus the criticism against, especially when compared to the OT, made him look, well wrong. Even before the prequels, he take shots at Empire calling it the worst film, and stuff like that. But his reaction has gotten worse over the years. He won't release any version of the OT that isn't the most recently altered because it is "his vision". Even though he didn't direct two of the films. He has taken shots at fans over the OT and the prequels. He has been taking shots at TFA and Disney as of late, annoyed that they tossed out his "vision". Now he has said that he left as a consultant because they kept telling him they didn't like his ideas, saying that instead of a real story, they are going to simply release a film built on fan service.
That last complaint is funny considering the prequels imo. I will always love him for creating Star Wars, but he has become as bitter as many of his fans nowadays. He became what he loathed. The guy who hated big studios and fought against changing classic films has done both in abundance the last 30 years. It is actually kind of sad.
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