Creating criminals out of innocents

“Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against– then you’ll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We’re after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you’d better get wise to it.”

“There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”

“Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens ? What’s there in that for anyone ? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, Mr. Rearden, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.”

This is an extract from the famous Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.  I deliberately broke this 1 para quote into 3 only to make the emphasis clear.

Infact this is one of my favorites… simply because it very lucidly explains the mind of corrupt forces and their need to institutionalize corruption. And how successfully they do it by creating absurd unjust laws, the only way they can rule over innocents… the only way they can become centres of power.

This also explains why some laws end up getting more abused than others, and why some laws are beyond comprehension, especially when the issue they seek to address could have been resolved otherwise.

Needless to say, absurd laws are open to misuse… misuse makes them abused. And abused laws are the easiest way to creating criminals out of innocents.

What a way to Rule !

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