As someone living in another region with entrenched corruption (or perhaps it's the same region, from Italy through the Balkans to ex-Soviet areas?) I'm pessimistic on this front. talos writes that "circus of corruption is not really open to anyone", but it's still a majority. And a majority is a hypocrite about it: I could list all day the examples of acquaintances who all proudly employ their small tricks (behind the back of the state, employer, customers), and at the same time curse "politicians" who do the same kind of tricks "on the back of decent people". These attitudes have their root in the state-subject relationship of several preceding dictatorships [in my region, when the phenomenon is noted, usually only the last -- communist -- dictatorship is blamed...]. But people won't seize democracy, they continue with their small tricks and vote for big tricksters in elections.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}