What people here don't seem to realize very much is that fundamentally, every system depends on people actually doing things. That can be following the rules, that can be enforcing the rules, that can be just being helpful or polite or willing to help others.
As demonstrated by a lot of dictators, when people fail, no amount of laws, no matter how clever will protect the state. Every generation again, young people believe differently. The "overwhelming force" of the law is just people. People that can be convinced to ignore or violate the law.
I would argue that these days the police ignoring the law (due to lack of personnel and funds) is on full display in almost 100% of the world, though some places are worse than others.