De la Boetie described the situation four centuries ago. Machiavelli, Mazzarin have thrown in their observations too. Voluntary servitude gets its high from serving and groveling. The mere joy of serving the despot is satisfactory in itself. It is interesting to watch over the years the levels to which individuals will crawl to simply serve the Egoarc with little more than a pat on the shoulder. Often a minion will simply be thrown out after having gratified the interests of berlusconi's clique. I recall Cirielli, a oneshot Sicilian lawyer, who devised a law to cut statuatory limitations for individuals with a clean slate, smothered in get-tough sauce for recidives. He did his job and got sacked. It's much like Louis XIV: It's an honour and a privilege to carry his royal chamber pot out back where fawning doctors can admire its content.