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Large Powerful Organizations Become Corrupt

Institutional Principle

Short Definition

As organizations grow in size and influence, incentives often move from mission and truth toward survival and power retention.

Expanded Description

In this framing, corruption is less about individual morality and more about system incentives. Scale, risk management, and legitimacy pressures gradually shift behavior toward self-protection.

A common progression is: mission creation, growth, incentive realignment, self-preservation, and then information control.

Persuasion Insight

Large institutions project authority, which increases persuasive force even when internal incentives diverge from transparency or truth-seeking.

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