Final answer:
Governments like North Korea represent extreme cases of governance that do more harm than good to citizens, through actions such as intense state surveillance and punishment of dissenters. Historically, dictators like Stalin and Hitler have shown how abusive governments can lead to massive human rights abuses. Conversely, some strong leaders have been seen as benevolent, with varied impacts on society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout history and in the modern world, there have been instances where governments have become so extreme that their actions do more harm than good to their citizens. One of the most extreme contemporary examples is North Korea, which operates as a police state with severe restrictions on freedom of expression, privacy, and self-determination. Citizens are subject to intense surveillance. Those who express dissent against the leadership face imprisonment or execution.
Historically, dictators such as Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Pol Pot have led through fear and committed massive human rights violations. Abusive governments like these have often led to widespread suffering and have necessitated calls for their overthrow. Governments can expand powers for ostensibly protective purposes, which can sometimes result in encroachments on civil liberties.
Within democratic societies, questions arise regarding the paradox of tolerance—how to balance the rights to free expression with the potential for such expressions to harm the social order. Cases in the United States concerning free speech, the press, and whistleblowers highlight these tensions. Finally, not all strong governments result in negative outcomes for citizens; as with benevolent dictators like Napoleon and Anwar Sadat, the impacts on society can vary widely based on the leaders' actions and intentions.