What creates a police state?

[Shinova]

What compels a person in authority to create a police state? This is in regards to much of the stuff that's going on here in the US recently. The ones in authority are elected or selected personnel. Are they trying to tighten control over the country to eventually give themselves permanent seats in power?

Or are they just overreacting to the security issues of the country?

What kind of benefits would these people in power receive in a republic country if they turned it more and more into a police state?

To basically summarize, what gives?

[Strate_Egg]

What compels a person in authority to create a police state? This is in regards to much of the stuff that's going on here in the US recently. The ones in authority are elected or selected personnel. Are they trying to tighten control over the country to eventually give themselves permanent seats in power?

Or are they just overreacting to the security issues of the country?

What kind of benefits would these people in power receive in a republic country if they turned it more and more into a police state?

To basically summarize, what gives?

Ahh a police state where you have no say and the leader is always right even if he is wrong? That sounds like a type of government Wong would like.

[Shinova]

Ahh a police state where you have no say and the leader is always right even if he is wrong? That sounds like a type of government Wong would like.

Can a mod just take this post elsewhere so that this thread doesn't get flooded with counterposts to Strate Egg? (take my post---this one---with it too. Thanks)

[General Zod]

the reason to create a police state depends very much upon the person in charge. some leaders would want to make one in case their country was at war and it was necessary to protect their country. others might want to make one as an excuse to put down even tighter restrictions on their country, thereby giving them more power. or any number of reasons that i can't think of offhand.

[fgalkin]

What compels a person in authority to create a police state? This is in regards to much of the stuff that's going on here in the US recently. The ones in authority are elected or selected personnel. Are they trying to tighten control over the country to eventually give themselves permanent seats in power?

Or are they just overreacting to the security issues of the country?

What kind of benefits would these people in power receive in a republic country if they turned it more and more into a police state?

To basically summarize, what gives?

Ahh a police state where you have no say and the leader is always right even if he is wrong? That sounds like a type of government Wong would like.

Unlike a police state however, you can always leave (hint, hint).

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[fgalkin]

What compels a person in authority to create a police state? This is in regards to much of the stuff that's going on here in the US recently. The ones in authority are elected or selected personnel. Are they trying to tighten control over the country to eventually give themselves permanent seats in power?

Or are they just overreacting to the security issues of the country?

What kind of benefits would these people in power receive in a republic country if they turned it more and more into a police state?

To basically summarize, what gives?

Basically, they feel insecure in their position and want to make sure no one tries overthrowing/killing them. Sometimes, they have legitimate concerns, and sometimes they are just paranoid.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Rye]

What compels a person in authority to create a police state? This is in regards to much of the stuff that's going on here in the US recently. The ones in authority are elected or selected personnel. Are they trying to tighten control over the country to eventually give themselves permanent seats in power?

Or are they just overreacting to the security issues of the country?

What kind of benefits would these people in power receive in a republic country if they turned it more and more into a police state?

To basically summarize, what gives?

Observe what president clark did in babylon 5. You create fear of the aliens/foreigners first, then when you've finished scapegoating them into getting various laws passed, you make the population fear itself. Once they're in fear, they are prepared to lose rights and be told what to do as the government is weeding out the "traitors" within.

Outright oppression doesn't really work because the people will unite and fight against an overt enemy. A nebulous unseen enemy that could be the folks next door...that they can only fight against by losing their rights and letting the government deal with it.

[SyntaxVorlon]

Usually it takes a vocal by Sting.

Police states stem from a perceived need for heavy security in a government. The fact that a government feels it needs security to the point of being overbearing and oppresive is an indication of it's preformance in general.