Patrimonialism: When the State Becomes a Business
Tactics to Exploit Patrimonialism’s Weaknesses
1. Narrative with clarity
Build a consistent message: “Trump runs the country like his personal corporation.” Link policies—like raids, tariffs, or regulatory changes—to private enrichment.
Example: Show how crony firms got contracts under the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Share stories of everyday hardship: rising prices, canceled protections, or job losses.
2. Leverage grassroots monitoring
Organize “watch teams” in neighborhoods. Each time a raid is planned, citizens gather to record, alert legal help, or intervene nonviolently. Collect data on who profits from federal actions—contractors, think tanks, funders—and publicize it.
3. Amplify protest for protection
Large protests must stay peaceful—but visible. In L.A., crowds turned ICE raids into spectacles that forced Trump to deploy Guard troops.1 Such acts challenge his narrative of sovereignty and control.
4. Roast the show—satire and visuals
Use satire to expose contradictions: caricaturing “tariff-rich cronies,” or mock “Trump’s new IRS discounts for family.” Picture takedowns resonate where text might not. Think Poland’s ads, Navalny’s videos, or late-night monologues.
5. Legal and oversight pressure
File lawsuits over the firing of inspectors general or ICE’s violations. Support state and congressional inquiries (subpoenas, hearings). Even symbolic lawsuits or FOIA requests force transparency and feed media coverage.
6. Target key elections
Use the midterm (2026) and 2028 campaigns to press the issue. Focus on swing districts where corruption messaging resonates. Run ads that show local effects: “Social Security cut so he can profit”—and remind voters of constitutional duties and civic roots.
Why We Can Be Hopeful
- Corruption is visible. Patrimonialism thrives in the shadows, but Trump’s style makes graft more apparent through tariffs, contracts, and corporate donations.
- Competence is failing. When real expertise leaves, people notice broken services, bungled responses, and clogged offices.
- American institutional resilience. Courts do still rule. Congress can investigate. Strong states and local watchdogs push back.
- The Corruption Line. Americans dislike inefficiency, but revolt at corruption. This is political oxygen for opponents.
A Call to Citizens
- Speak up: Share stories with neighbors, such as police raids, lost benefits, or business closures.
- Show up: Join protests. Run neighborhood defender brigades around raids.
- Hold officials: Demand ethics, recusal rules, and oversight. Write letters, call reps, and attend town halls.
- Vote: In 2026 and 2028, back candidates who pledge to restore norms and fight patrimonialism legally.
By combining street-level activism, strategic messaging, legal muscle, and election focus, Americans can use patrimonialism’s visible flaws to preserve the Republic.
Why Constitutional Democracy Still Wins
Our Constitution is not a fragile fairy tale. It was created precisely to prevent exactly this: a President who places personal gain above public good. It calls on us to hold leaders accountable, to ensure no one branch becomes too powerful, and to enforce the separation of powers.
If we embrace our roles—as voters, organizers, jurors, petitioners—we can reinforce those protections. Patrimonialism is public and personal. But with enough eyes and voices on the problem, it becomes politically unsustainable.
Final Words
Patrimonialism transforms democracy into a private firm. However, it also lays its vulnerabilities bare: graft and incompetence can be exposed, fought, and turned into political liabilities.
By telling clear stories, building local resistance, pressing legal action, and mobilizing voters, citizens can reclaim the institutions that define us—the rule of law, separation of powers, and ultimate accountability to the people.
The Constitution requires it. Democracy demands it. And Americans have a long history of defeating power misuse with truth, courage, and civic duty.
Download Citizen Enagement Guide
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The Atlantic, Trump’s Deportations Aren’t What They Seem, Ali Breland, June 14, 2024, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/06/trump-mass-deportations-spectacle/683187/ ↩
