I have a theory that corruption+nepotism are unstoppable forces of nature.
Advanced governments only force corruption to distribute and obfuscate.
I think this is why there appears to be some correlation between unpopular behavior and financial success.
Government essentially erects artificial barriers to entry on behalf of the incumbent businesses that fund it.
I don’t know if it is “unstoppable” or a “force,” but nepotism is a natural behavior, selected for in humans by kin selection.
Likewise, I think public choice theory would probably argue that corruption is a predictable outcome in politics that has to be constantly guarded against.
That's why I see AI (with a clear set of provided objectives and guidelines, i.e., a constitution) as the future of government.
As dystopian as that sounds, it's the only way I see to truly rid ourselves of corruption.
I don't know how any AI system would not eventually determine that humans are the problem. Sci-fi uses this as a plot numerous times for a reason. What humans are doing is not logical, and better choices can be made if it weren't so damn profitable for some to keep going as is.