I tend to think that fear and greed are the main issues. People afraid of things give up their liberties easily and people greedy for things are willing to do s

I tend to think that fear and greed are the main issues. People afraid of things give up their liberties easily and people greedy for things are willing to do stuff they wouldn't otherwise to get ahead (take bribes, destroy the environment, endorse bad laws, etc..) It only takes a few hundred/thousand people in key places in a government to lower their standards or get scared about something and they can easily drag/persuade the entire country to come with them.