——从权利结构、社会心理到人民互害的制度逻辑
文 / MingSir
一、自由人民，是国家的主人；极权人民，是权力的末梢
在表面上，“人民”在任何制度中都是一个高频词汇：民主国家称“人民主权”，极权国家也喊“人民当家作主”。但真正的区别，不在语言，而在结构。
自由制度下的人民，是独立的法律人格体，拥有不可侵犯的宪法权利，能够依法选举、表达、监督、反对，并对政府施加实质约束。
极权制度下的人民，虽然在纸面上拥有“权利”，但这些权利只是政治合法性的装饰品。他们无法真正选择自己的代表，无法公开表达不同意见，更无法通过制度机制追究公权力。他们是权力这条钢鞭的末梢，只能被驱动、传导、牺牲，却无法决定方向。
二、自由制度维护“人”的尊严，极权制度训练“顺民”与“打手”
在自由制度中，公权力的存在是为了服务个人自由。每个人都是法律的被保护者，即使是最贫穷的乞丐也拥有尊严，不得被任意拘押、殴打、歧视。政府必须敬畏公民。
而在极权体制中，权力至上，人民则必须时刻证明自己“无害”“忠诚”“服从”。一个人若要发声、抗议、质疑，就要面对失业、抓捕、禁言、监控，甚至人身伤害。更可怕的是，极权制度不仅压迫人民，更训练人民彼此压迫。门卫羞辱访客，城管殴打摊贩，居委会举报邻里，网民互相揭发……这一切不是因为他们有多坏，而是因为他们已经被训练成维护权力的工具。他们不再是人，而是鞭子的“末端神经”。
三、极权人民的“政治权利”只是幻觉
极权体制下常见的说法是：“你也可以表达，你可以举报、上访、通过人大代表反映问题。”但这些所谓“权利”，都缺乏三样根本保障：
- 没有独立司法：你反映问题，若触犯权力者，会被控“寻衅滋事”；
- 没有自由媒体：你的声音不能传播，反而会被删帖、封号；
- 没有选票真正决定权：你所谓“参与选举”，只能选一名早被安排的候选人。
因此，极权下的“权利”，更像是一个精致的幻觉，用来制造合法性的假象，却不能真正保护人的自由与尊严。
四、现实中的“鞭梢”与“独立个体”：一对鲜明对比
（一）“钢鞭末梢”式的极权人民实例：
- 疫情中的基层封控员2022年封控时期，居委会干部、物业保安、志愿者被赋予极高的控制权，他们封路、封门、封人，不容反抗。不是因为他们有法理权力，而是因为他们被上级的命令武装成了“可用的打手”。
- 城管打摊贩，保安欺访客许多“穿了制服”的底层者，在日常生活中行使暴力，“罚款、打人、喝令”，成了他们获取身份感的方式。他们不是执法者，而是“暴力下放”的末梢传导者。
- 网络举报文化的泛滥在网络平台上，民众之间彼此举报、互相封号，举报“境外势力”“反动言论”，背后反映的不是信仰正义，而是人们在失去表达权的同时，被诱导去行使监督他人的权力幻觉。
（二）法律人格化的自由人民实例：
民主国家中的记者揭黑获奖：在自由制度下，媒体监督是第四权力。一名记者若揭露政府丑闻，不是“寻衅”，而是“公共英雄”。例如，美国《水门事件》记者最终改变了国家走向。
公民对警察拥有质疑与起诉权：在法治社会中，即便面对执法者，公民有权提出抗辩、要求出示证件、拍摄取证，并通过法院申诉。这是真正的“人与国家平等”的体现。
公民自治的社区与公共监督：在台湾、美国、欧洲许多地区，社区工作者必须听取居民意见，而非强行管理。居民可参与预算、议事与服务评估，真正实现“治理权力向下负责”。
五、极权社会的“人民互害”，是一种系统设计
你看到的基层暴力、社会冷漠、举报成风，并不是个体道德的问题，而是制度设计的结果。在一个没有真相、没有信任、没有法律保护的社会中：
· 人人自危，所以人人防备他人；
· 人人无权，所以唯有打压更弱者以换取一点生存空间；
· 人人被威胁，所以举报成了保命工具，暴力成了泄愤出口。
这就形成了一个“人民互害、权力旁观”的社会结构。统治者不需亲自动手，底层人民已在彼此撕咬。这正是极权的高明之处：它让你不再恨权力，而开始恨你的同胞。
六、自由人民的世界，是可以商量的世界
与之相对，自由社会并不完美，但它至少具备三个基本底线：你可以说“不”而不被惩罚；你可以去法院，而不是被带去派出所；你可以相信他人，而不必担心对方是告密者。
在自由制度中，人民彼此之间是同盟而非敌人。你可以组织、参与、抗议、讨论，而不是被裹挟、封口、驱赶、殴打。你不是某人鞭子的一部分，而是你自己的主人。
七、结语：我们是否愿意不再做鞭梢？
我们无法选择出生于何种体制，但我们可以选择是否清醒地看待它。自由，不是一个遥远的乌托邦，而是一种“我不愿再参与这套逻辑”的态度与实践”。
当一个人意识到自己是那个人人厌恶的鞭子末梢时，愿意活出对他人的尊重、不迫害他人、甚至不做伪装的时候，你便是那个真正意义上的人，一个真正的人民，而不是奴役人民的钢鞭末梢。
The Fundamental Difference Between Free People and People Under Totalitarianism
— From Power Structures to Social Psychology and Systemic Mutual Harm
By MingSir
I. Free People Are Masters of the State; People Under Totalitarianism Are Merely Extensions of Power
On the surface, “the people” is a high-frequency term in both democratic and totalitarian states. Democracies proclaim “popular sovereignty,” while totalitarian regimes also chant “the people are the masters.” But the real difference lies not in the slogans—but in the structure.
In a free system, the people are independent legal entities with constitutionally protected rights. They can vote, express opinions, supervise the government, and hold it accountable.
In a totalitarian system, the people may possess “rights” on paper, but these rights are mere decorative justifications for legitimacy. They cannot truly choose their representatives, publicly express dissent, or pursue accountability through institutional means.
They are the tail of the steel whip of power—driven, transmitted, and sacrificed—never in control of direction.
II. Free Societies Protect Human Dignity; Totalitarianism Trains “Obedient Subjects” and “Enforcers”
In a free society, public power exists to serve personal liberty. Every individual, even the poorest beggar, is protected by law and entitled to dignity—never to be detained, beaten, or discriminated against arbitrarily. The government must revere its citizens.
In a totalitarian system, power is supreme. People must constantly prove they are “harmless,” “loyal,” and “obedient.” Those who dare to speak out, protest, or question authority face unemployment, arrest, censorship, surveillance—or even physical harm.
Worse still, totalitarianism not only oppresses people—it trains them to oppress one another. Security guards humiliate visitors, urban officers beat street vendors, neighborhood committees report neighbors, and netizens expose one another online.
Not because they are evil—but because they have been trained to become tools of the system. They are no longer fully human, but rather, the “terminal nerves” of the whip.
III. Political Rights Under Totalitarianism Are a Delusion
Common claims in totalitarian regimes include: “You can express yourself,” “You can report wrongdoing,” or “You can petition or contact your representative.”
But these so-called “rights” lack three fundamental protections:
- No independent judiciary: If your complaint offends those in power, you’ll be accused of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
- No free media: Your voice cannot circulate; instead, you’ll be censored, your posts deleted, or your account banned.
- No genuine voting rights: What’s called “elections” involve selecting from pre-approved candidates.
Thus, political rights under totalitarianism are an elaborate illusion, designed to simulate legitimacy—without actually safeguarding freedom or dignity.
IV. “The Tail of the Whip” vs. “Independent Individuals”: Stark Real-World Contrasts
(A) Examples of People as “Steel Whip Terminals” Under Totalitarianism:
- Grassroots COVID enforcers during lockdowns (2022)During strict lockdowns, neighborhood officials, property guards, and “volunteers” were granted sweeping control. They barricaded streets, sealed doors, and detained residents—not by legal authority, but by being turned into obedient enforcers of top-down directives.
- Urban officers beating vendors, guards bullying visitorsMany working-class individuals in uniforms exercised violence in daily life—issuing fines, shouting commands, or resorting to force. They weren’t true law enforcers, but the extension of devolved coercion.
- Rampant online reporting cultureOn digital platforms, citizens frequently report each other, leading to bans or detentions over so-called “foreign influence” or “subversive speech.” This isn’t about defending justice, but about people—robbed of their own voice—being lured into surveilling others in exchange for false power.
(B) Examples of Free People with Legal Personhood:
- Journalists honored for exposing corruption in democraciesIn free societies, the press serves as the “Fourth Estate.” Journalists who reveal wrongdoing are heroes, not criminals. For example, the reporters behind the Watergate investigation helped reshape American democracy.
- Citizens have the right to challenge and sue policeIn a rule-of-law system, citizens may question officers, request credentials, film incidents, and seek redress in court. This reflects true equality between citizen and state.
- Community autonomy and public oversightIn Taiwan, the U.S., and Europe, community workers must listen to residents—not control them. Citizens participate in budgets, meetings, and evaluations, achieving genuine downward accountability in governance.
V. “People Harming People” Is a Feature of Totalitarian Design
Grassroots violence, social apathy, and a culture of mutual denunciation are not simply moral failings—they are the result of deliberate system design.
In a society devoid of truth, trust, and legal protection:
- Everyone fears for themselves—so they guard against others;
- No one has real power—so they suppress the weaker to survive;
- Everyone is under threat—so reporting others becomes a self-preservation tactic, and violence becomes a release.
This creates a structure where the people harm each other while power stands aside. The rulers need not act—the oppressed tear themselves apart.
This is the cunning of totalitarianism:
It makes you stop hating the powerful, and start hating your fellow citizens.
VI. A Free Society Is One Where People Can Negotiate
In contrast, free societies are far from perfect, but they uphold three essential guarantees:
- You can say “no” without punishment;
- You can go to court, not to a police station;
- You can trust others—without fearing they will report you.
In free systems, people are allies, not enemies. You can organize, participate, protest, and debate—not be silenced, manipulated, driven out, or beaten.
You are not part of someone else’s whip.You are your own master.
VII. Conclusion: Will You Still Be the Tail of the Whip?
We don’t get to choose the system we were born into, But we can choose whether to face it clearly.
Freedom is not a distant utopia—it is a mindset:
“I refuse to participate in this logic any longer.”
When a person realizes they are the despised tail of the whip, And chooses to respect others, to stop harming others, To stop wearing a mask just to survive— They become truly human, A genuine member of the people,Not the extension of the whip that enslaves them.
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