Comment by pjc50

> Have the elites through history always been this insecure or is it a modern phenomenon?

This is very Roman Emperor behavior. Or Chinese Emperor, for that matter. It has pretty much always been the case that power and privilege lets you get away with bad behavior while simultaneously holding your subordinates to onerous standards and/or inflicting punishment on a whim.

Building a court who will steer you away from bad ideas rather than surrounding yourself with yes-men requires active effort, and enough humility to be aware of that risk.

The other constant historical trope is of course the abuse of power for sexual purposes.