...which is the value of robust systems designed to limit the impact these people can have. This is precisely why mechanisms like separation of powers and whis

...which is the value of robust systems designed to limit the impact these people can have. This is precisely why mechanisms like separation of powers and whistleblower protections matter. This is also why social conventions around honesty, reciprocity, fairness, etc. matter. When these mechanisms and conventions operate smoothly, you get a sort of "security in depth" against abuse and exploitation. People acting in bad faith find their worst impulses thwarted, both by societal / legal systems and by average citizens who are empowered to help hold them to account. When they don't, you get dangerous patterns of corruption and indifference; these weaken trust in the system, making it harder to fix over time.