Citizen Betrayal
When a politician or government knowingly uses public power in a way that seriously harms its own citizens because another group, industry, party, donor, institution or political objective benefits from it. More than ordinary incompetence because the harm is known and the policy continues anyway.
“You knew housing and services were overloaded, knew who was profiting from it, and kept turning the intake up anyway. That is citizen betrayal.”
Citizen Betrayal by Termsmith September 5, 2026