I spent the last 10 minutes of my valuable time scouring the internet for an appropriate quote to start this blog post off right but apparently no one of importance has ever said what I'm about to say so I guess I'll have to make my own quote: a state has no limit to how far it can stretch its power so long as it does so with great care and finesse. There it is, a completely original idea. Now I know how it feels to be Steve Jobs.
A rare window into the inner workings of Apple
Unfortunately this blog is not about Steve Jobs and Apple so I must digress. People inherently want to trust those whom they put in power, it makes them feel safe. This something instilled in us as babies when those leaders are our parents. So when the government starts making some subtle changes in law, the people want to believe it's for their best interests, even if it is not. For example, during the period of Vladimir Lenin's rule in Russia know as the "Red Terror" claimed to be protecting the people through their terrorist acts against "enemies of the revolution." In fact governments many established through revolution are prime examples of how leaders can turn from freedom fighting champions of the people to tyrannical oppressor without the people ever realizing it, the most famous and well executed example of this being Mao Zedong.
Also Walt Disney
Like Machiavelli said, if you get all of your "evil acts" out of the way in the beginning of your rule or very subtly, there is no limit to how far you can stretch your power. Not to be "that guy," but one needs to look no further than Nazi Germany to see how a horrific tyrant can commit unspeakable acts and still have the unconditional support of his people through the calculated exploitation of nationalism and cover-up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin
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