Forget petty bribes, 'state capture' is corruption so deep it is shaping the rules of democracy itself

I think this article describes where we are as a nation today. As the writer says in describing the difference between the rot of corruption through extortion and petty bribes and state capture, “But there is a deeper, more dangerous form of rot – state capture.” After reading this article, I believe we are well into corruption AS the system, and this includes at least five of the MAGAs on the Supreme Court. I don’t know about Barrett yet. The paragraphs below are from the end of the article.

“Escaping state capture – domestic or transnational – requires more than transparency reforms or ethics codes. Those are sticking plasters on a cancer. Real change demands independent judiciaries, fearless investigative journalism, and a civil society prepared to fight entrenched power. As evidenced by youth movements across Africa and Asia, meaningful change can sometimes necessitate extraordinary measures: widespread protest or the involvement of the international community.

Recent global protests hint at the potential for grassroots movements to challenge entrenched narratives. They are reminders that democratic renewal rarely comes from the top – it is forced from below, by citizens, youths and students – those who refuse to accept that their governments are bought and sold.

State capture is the most dangerous mutation of corruption: corruption that governs, corruption that legislates, corruption that silences. It is the enemy not just of clean government but of democracy itself.”

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/nov/04/state-capture-corruption-democracy