“…when the laws have ceased to be executed, as this can only come from the corruption of the republic, the state is already lost.”
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
A survey by T-Media reveals that Finns trust the most the police, educational and justice system and the least the media, EU and employer’s associations. Of those surveyed, 69% responded that they didn’t trust the media.
Even if close to two-thirds of Finns trust their police, should we in light of the revelations by Edward Snowden of vast global surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) and GCHQ?
A good case in point is a request by the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) for increased surveillance powers.
One matter that should worry us is not the Supo request per se but how little some Finnish politicians, the media and public appear to care for oversight and transparency, which are crucial to the survival of our Nordic welfare state democracy.
Would the police and Supo abuse such power if they got greater surveillance rights?
The proper question we should ask, however, is what guarantees does the public have that the police and Supo will not go as far as theNSA and GCHQ? Do we have any idea how much we are being surveyed in Finland?
The best way to secure trust and an effective checks and balance system through proper oversight is paradoxically mistrust. It would be naive, even reckless, to believe that the police and other agencies that claim to defend and guarantee our security will always do so in our best interest. Power always corrupts.
Just like corporations can get greedy, so can military and public institutions. Securing support and vast funding means putting out a lot of spin and hype in order to instil fear in the public that we are constantly under threat.
Asking the military and national security agencies to make the world a more secure place is like asking a madman to make the world saner.
It will never happen.
“Securing support and vast funding means putting out a lot of spin and hype in order to instil fear in the public that we are constantly under threat.
Asking the military and national security agencies to make the world a more secure place is like asking a madman to make the world saner.
It will never happen.”
Interesting idea. Following this logic, we should not trust any of the help organizations to actually help africa at all. Nor should be trusting integration industry to integrate anyone as its against their interest.
Aid organizations and integration agencies are not like a police department that can enforce order through suppression and force, Yossie, and you know it.
Barachiel
you are missing the point.
If we assume that national security agencies wont make world safer as they benefit from the unsafe world as it justifies their existence and expenses, in a same way we should be able to assume that aid organizations and integration agencies wont be much of help as need of help justifies their existence. Worst thing for them to happen would be that their mission would be complete.
That is not what Enrique is saying at all. He isn’t saying that police agencies won’t make the world safer. He is saying that they can’t always be trusted not to abuse their power.
Barachiel
“Asking the military and national security agencies to make the world a more secure place is like asking a madman to make the world saner.
It will never happen.”
I´m reading this wrong?
You seem to be taking the quote out of the context of the rest of the article, so yes, I think you are reading this wrong.