The deep state is one of those concepts that has long since transcended the boundaries of political science and has become a media phenomenon. In the mass consciousness, it is associated with an invisible government, conspiracies, global control, and power structures that “really run everything.” It is a convenient explanation for everything that seems incomprehensible, opaque, or unfair in the functioning of states.
But is the deep state really a secret group in the shadows? Or is it perhaps a complex system of institutions, connections, and processes that simply does not lie on the surface? This blog will tell you what the concept of the Deep State actually means, what it is in different countries, and why no true democracy can do without the "deep" state.
What is the Deep State?
Both those who treat this phenomenon neutrally or positively, and those who consider it the cause of all human ills, usually mean “non-public mechanisms of politics and management of society and the state”. The non-public sphere can include backroom connections, managerial, bureaucratic or corporate practices that affect the state and society, but do not lie on the surface. This may simply be the everyday work of the bureaucracy, which is invisible to the general public.
The idea of conspiracy theorists or opponents of the Deep State is that there is a certain “secret organization” that sits “at the top” and runs society solely in its own selfish interests. Of course, this myth doesn’t work anyway.
In reality, the management of the economy, finances, society and the state is a complex process, mostly bureaucratic and political in nature. In any large structure, sooner or later, a painted, structured bureaucracy arises. Bureaucracy is not always effective and almost never dynamic, because its task is different - to ensure stability and manageability.
The more complex a society is, the more complex the bureaucracy is and the more diverse the players are. Groups of influence, professional experts, and officials who build stable traditions and cultures of behavior in certain institutions. And all of this together (formal bureaucracy, business interests, informal rules, traditions, industry and regional elites) forms a complex system of power.
We are dealing with a multitude of interconnected processes, often contradictory and lacking a single decision-making center. There is no single “secret power.” However, there are a multitude of relatively independent, formal and informal structures.
Conspiracy theorists, seeking simple explanations, “appoint” the Deep State as some kind of all-powerful coordinator who prevents “ordinary people” or “true reformers” from implementing their brilliant ideas. Thus, Trumpists and other populist conspiracies stubbornly ignore the complexity of the world because it is incomprehensible and uncomfortable to them.
Why is the Deep State needed?
The existence of such a complex “multi-layered” system ensures the most important thing: continuity of power and governance of the state. Governance continues even when there is serious external or internal stress on the system. For example, in Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.
The Deep State also acts as a safety net. On the one hand, it can slow down reforms, but on the other hand, it saves from reckless and dangerous “jumps” in the other direction.
On the contrary, if the entire system is overly centralized and all power is locked in the "vertical" (as in Putin's Russia), this makes the structure very fragile. As soon as the center disappears (due to defeat, coup, or death of the ruler) - and the entire structure can collapse, because there are no well-established horizontal connections and stable informal institutions.
How to carry out reforms in the conditions of the Deep State?
Attempts to “break the bureaucracy” or “destroy the Deep State” usually lead to destabilization. At the same time, ignoring the inhibiting effect of old institutions is also unwise. The only way is to realize that any change requires the unity of stakeholders. This is how reforms can be implemented:
- Create a circle of beneficiaries — those who benefit from the reform and who will defend it.
- Explain to society the meaning of the changes — so that there is public pressure “from below.”.
- Finding a compromise with those who oppose or fear change is almost always necessary in a democracy.
- Consolidate the result in the form of laws, market mechanisms, and informal rules so that the new system becomes profitable and established.
This is infinitely far from “simple solutions.” But simple solutions can only lead to hell. The US illustrates this very well to us (the world).
