actually, it is the other way around. first, you must build the surveillance capabilities and make people accept it as inevitable. you also maintain certain level of paranoia in population to keep that fear simmering. the last piece, &quot;criticism of supreme leader is punishable by death&quot; can be quickly added at any time. in the meanwhile we have to live with second best thing: &quot;telling the truth about government affairs, be it surveillance programs or shooting unarmed iraqis from apache helicopters, is punishable by life in prison or exile&quot;.