As an Eastern European I would definitely entertain the idea that totalitarianism is not entirely wrong. IMO the world needs politicians with stronger will who are less obsessed by next elections and are religiously persecuting criminals and opportunists... however the politicians are parts of these criminals so yeah, welcome to 21st century.

In any case, regulations have proven time and again to mean absolutely nothing unless enforced very strictly and with a very heavy hand (flat percents of the offender's gross income, and I mean from 20% and up, not some petty 1-2%). But that won't happen -- lobbies, rings of companies, "anonymous" donations, things like that... the status quo is too deeply entrenched. But we can dream, right?