Yes, I understand what you're saying. I remember quite a few years ago getting involved with the local police near Olongapo and the rules were well known. Ante up the dough, or suffer severe jail time. It was common knowledge that the local Constable (if that's what we called him) and the local politicians were in bed together in order to extort money from various businesses, sailors and tourists.
It's a difficult dilemma. Very similar to the mafia in America controlling cities in the early part of the century.
Seems to me, (and this is very easy to say from afar) that the national government needs a sort of FBI for the provinces. Where abuses of power can be reported with some degree of integrity. And arrests and convictions made. A few large scale sting operations, well publicized, might go a long way toward correcting the intertwining of corruption. Tough though, because the level of cynicism is so great many people would simply believe the "new FBI" was as corrupt as anyone else.
Leadership would help, a leader people genuinely trusted. America was lucky to have leaders such as Washington. A person who was willing to give up power for the good of the nations future. He set the example, and in so doing paved the way for others to follow.
The peaceful changing of the guard, we take so much for granted in America, is still a very new concept in mankinds development. And many nations have yet to find their own Washington, to lead them away from their feudalistic instincts.
With regard to moving toward communism, and the suggestion it might be beneficial for the people in order to clean house so-to-speak. I'll have to give that one some more thought. My well honed mental models against communism, immediately generated a visceral negative reaction. But I'll have to give it much more thought as to why.
Michael |
