It is common knowledge that governments are inherently curropt, so why should we trust our own?

Answer 1

True, all the governments are corrupt in their own way.

But the difference comes from the degree of corruption. In some countries, especially the third worlds (impoverished), an elite group has hitmen and pawns they use to remain in power, even through democratic elections by using the voters list to vote for their own party, instead of letting the people vote. Brutality and power are two easy ways to control the people, who do not want to suffer more than they are already suffering.

In first world countries, the government is more accountable to the public. Because the public chooses the government in power, they have to at least be responsible to a good extent in order to remain in power.

We can see the developments around us that are sponsored by our governments - whether it is healthcare, education, roads & highways or infrastructure, or even the economy. If they have made these services for us, I guess we could trust them a little less reluctantly.

True, infinite amounts of money are going missing with this transaction fees and that maintainance & service fees, but in the end, we have a really high standard of living.

The governments, whether more capitalist than democratic socialists, maintain that high standard of living for us.

So, in order for us to maintain the life we have and to build a better future for the next generation, we have to trust the government while modifying it.

Answer 2

The founders of our government did believe this. Which is why they created a government of three separate bodies to check and balance each other, along with the freedom of speech and press to keep an eye open. The idea is that government is both necessary and essentially corrupt, but that if no one group can obtain all of the power, then the corruption can be kept in check. One example is the limit of power that was given to the President. He actually has almost no power over the day to day lives of the people in the US. That power was given to the states and the Congress. However, he was made the commander in chief of the armed forces and foreign affairs. But at the time of our founding, it was considered OK, because he only had power during war. Now in the modern world so connected and foreign affairs taking such prominence, what was once the weakest of the three bodies of government has now become the most powerful. If our democracy is to survive, we as a nation will have to address this problem. But the bottom line is that the founders of our country firmly believed that we should NOT trust our government. If you are truly a patriotic American, you must distrust the government, that is your duty as a citizen.

Answer 3

your premise is faulty - that isn't common knowledge, it's your assumption

Answer 4

We shouldn't!