The corruption of the State

Essentially, every leader would love to be a dictator/authoritarian/totalitarian. That is the nature of leadership. Even today, citizens hail absolute majorities given to leaders as a sign of democracy – ironically, by giving a dictatorial mandate to leaders. There is some truth to this paradigm as some of the major transformations in society and economics/social welfare/ policy are best implemented without questions asked; not within the mandated term at least.  Liberalisation, family planning, health care, military mobilization, and literacy are some examples.

Every successive term of government however seeks to corrupt the system that keeps it in balance. This is done through various means and the most visible being the use and misuse of law against the citizens. The foot soldiers of the Government are the army and police who implement the law as per the will of Government. It is very crucial to note that both the army and police take orders from Government and not the judiciary. Of course, this isn't the job of the judiciary but again note that the checks and balances mechanism against the Government does not have the control of the most potent weapon of control of the Government.

Therefore, the first step to absolute control of citizens by a government is to use the military and police. This corruption comes in the form of controlling dissidents, uprisings, demonstrations, and arrest. The military is used in state corruption by the use of martial law against citizens – basically the imposition of military rule with democratic blessings.

Once the dissidents are quelled, there is no opposition to resist; thereby, allowing the state to consolidate a majority mandate for further dictatorship. This step requires resources in winning hearts and minds done through propaganda tools. Ironically, the wealth of the citizens are used to suppress and quell them into slavery.

The last stage involves the subversion of law and constitution. This clips the wings of the Judiciary and sometimes even the co-opting of judiciary against the citizenry.

Is then corruption inevitable? In a large part, yes, or at least - the threat is ever present. This is where citizens must understand that Governance is too valuable, cherished, and dear an ideal to be left to Governments. To wash one’s hands of the processes of government is to leave the keys of the safe to a convicted felon for five years without ever checking up on him. Preventing corruption of the state requires involvement in its dealings. This is not so difficult because the final pillar of democracy is the fourth estate.Ideally, the Press is supposed to keep governments in check by giving us a view into its dealings. Not ironically, the clamping down of Press freedoms is the first step exercised by dictatorships. 

Corruption of the Press then is one the most insidious deceits because it is the betrayal of one’s own – people tend to view the press as being part of the citizens. This is infantile when the mechanics of the Press is understood.