Checks and Balances
All human systems are prone to corruption. This is an inevitable consequence of the flaws inherent to human nature, especially in large scale systems. People and organizations are inherently biased towards their own self-interest. While interpersonal relationships can control bad behavior at a small scale, and there are always individual exceptions to any rule, no amount of faith, altruism, or reason can stop these inherent biases on a large scale.
The only reliable solution is balancing interests against each other.
If conflicting interests are given similar power, the inherent tension between them will tend to keep the system in balance. Furthermore, when many different interests are competing in the same space, the system becomes self-correcting to a degree since weaker interests will cooperate against stronger interests. As a result of these dynamics, the system will be much more robust against corruption and oppression than a system which rests on a single individual or group. This is the underlying logic behind checks and balances, and why this control mechanism is the backbone of a Just Society.
Checks and balances are not limited to the internal structure of the government. This principle should manage the relationships between the people, corporations, and government; between different parts of corporations; between different economic sectors; and all other major systems. All aspects of society should give careful consideration to how it incorporates checks and balances because this principle is the most effective way to prevent large human systems from running amok. There may be a significant cost to maintain them, but that cost is almost always less than the corruption they prevent.
However, checks and balances are not perfect. Every human system is susceptible to corruption, and checks and balances can be overcome. Cabals can form between interests which are supposed to balance each other, allowing them to cooperate to bring down the system from within. This makes laws and regulations preventing this collusion essential, as well as public scrutiny to ensure the endless schemes of the wicked are uncovered and the perpetrators are brought to justice.
The danger of corruption subverting the system of checks and balances is also why the citizens of a Just Society must be well armed. If these corrupt cabals gain control of the justice system, it is impossible to peacefully dislodge them. They must be destroyed by the people they seek to victimize. This requires widespread popular opposition since many citizens are required to overcome the corrupt system, and this is further balanced because citizens who believe the system is not corrupt will take up arms to defend it. Thus, even in this most extreme scenario, checks and balances still apply. The counterbalance of a well-armed public provides a solution to an otherwise irresolvable problem, as well as a check against abuse of this ultimate control mechanism.
Thus, checks and balances apply to all major facets of a Just Society and provide the best possible security against the evils of human nature. Our own history shows how much time and effort it took evil men to corrupt the system God gave us through his prophets, the Founding Fathers, and that was without the benefit of understanding of His underlying Truth. Now that we truly see how His hand guides us towards salvation, we can at last work towards a Just Society built in His image, and thus able to truly stand the test of time.