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It seems I can never cite the children's fairy tale "The Emperor's New Clothes" too often, for far too often it echoes in the politician's modus operandi, both autocratic and democratic. However, in democratic states, efforts to exchange a real truth -- observable subject, valid and reliable findings -- with a politically correct or advantageous one invariably lead to every manner of investigation, setting aside honeymoons with the press and "teflon presidencies", if not outright laughable absurdities.
In autocratic states, the dictators put on shows and the cowardly and the corrupt enjoy them!
Or else!
And besides: for the price of complaceny, compliance, a lie or two or several, small or large, one may eat, live another day, scurry around beyond the edges of a shadow that might otherwise descend at any hour.
Everyone else may suffer, but who are they?
What matter the good?
After all, money doesn't stop moving when it gets to Putin. It just flows through his turnstile, some portion becoming transformed into aggrandizing projects and patronage -- who can say others do not benefit? -- and the rest flows as directed or allowed as only the corrupt, on one hand, or patient, good willed, and befuddled, on the other, can know.
And all know money is fungible.
A man or woman in possession of it can make it into anything desired (although making it into more money sometimes proves a trick, as one may lack for conscienable leverage or something attractive for selling).
Money invested or spent tells the character of its owner.
Some will flow beneath the president's hand for good; some will disappear in the making of a new and yet too familiar darkness.
One may go on with this tack: who is to say an Ayatollah, king, a ruling junta, a President-for-Life, a Big Boss should not have the right to all of the freedoms, privileges, properties, and rights enjoyed (at his or the ruling junta's sole discretion) by his loyal subjects?
What are the possessions of kind good conscience and discerning fair judgment compared to the adulation due an emperor?
Take it to the end: what more enjoyable an idolatry that that associated with so captivating and monstrous a presence?
Go with it, fellow travelers.
Democracies enjoy invested citizens.
Autocracies of a certain and dismal depth enjoy subjugated spirits, awarding always the most loyal or least bothersome by managing their security -- or their sense of it -- and reaching, without constraint, friend as forever foe, deeply into their lives, minds, and pockets.
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