Civilised societies depend on institutions. The more complex the society, the more vital those institutions. Institutions provide stability, predictability and security. Companies, schools, universities, and courts are all institutions. But the most important institutions are those of the state. This is why Donald Trump’s assault on what his supporters misleadingly call “the deep state” is so dangerous. Some of them think the state should be servile to the whims of the great leader. Others think it should be at the service of the wealthy. Both sides agree that its ability to meet the needs of the wider public is of little significance. These views are dangerous. They are harbingers of autocracy, plutocracy and dysfunction.
文明社會依賴各類機構。社會越復雜，這些機構就越重要。機構提供穩定性、可預測性和安全性。公司、學校、大學和法院都是機構。但最重要的機構是政府機構。這就是為什么唐納德?特朗普(Donald Trump)對其支持者錯誤指稱的“深層政府”(deep state)的攻擊如此危險。他們中的一些人認為政府應該逢迎這位偉大領袖的異想天開。其他人則認為它應該為富人服務。而雙方一致認為，其滿足廣泛公眾需求的能力并不重要。這些觀點是危險的。它們是專制、財閥統治和功能失靈的先兆。