Absolutely. It's often more calculated than that though. The only way (by design) to succeed in the regime is through corruption - you're giving the leader the rope to hang you with if you ever fall out of favor.
replyVery much so: “everyone does it” means that the leader can destroy anyone who doesn’t toe the line while seeming to be following a reasonable law.
replyAnd only a few steps further and the leader rarely needs to employ the service of obedient judges, but opponents "just" fall out of windows.
replyExactly. See also underposted speed limits, for example. It's not about being able to stop everybody, it's about being able to stop anybody.
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