Socrates said that if you let the wealthiest become the government, they’re probably going to turn it into a vehicle to help them exploit the rest of society. He was given hemlock to drink. Jesus told the money changers
that they were desecrating the temple, and chased them out. He was nailed to a cross. Two young boys, aged 16 and 17, criticized their government and were beheaded in Saudi Arabia recently.
Those whom Jonathan Cook describes as "the most ruthless, the least caring" often rise to power, and then use the judicial system as their weapon. Our greatest challenge is to rein these people in.