Interesting Biblical observation about govt corruption. Same as it ever was…
Book of Ecclesiastes (old testament), chapter 5, verses 8 and 9:
If in a province you see the poor oppressed, rights and justice violated, do not be surprised. You will be told that officials are under the supervision of superiors, who are supervised in return; you will hear talk of "the common good" and "the service to the king." (see photo for alternate translations).
Essentially, bureaucratic corruption is excused/explained away by those in on the take with old sayings meant to pacify those inclined to go along with the corrupt business as usual. "It's for your own good. What are you complaining about? There's plenty in this field to harvest. Everything is in service to the King."
As a modern corollary: In the film Casablanca, the scene where Rick allows the Bulgarian couple to win at the roulette table, a fellow gambler asks Carl the waiter if this place is honest, Carl (who is in on the scam) answers with the well rehearsed evasive line: "Honest? Honest as the day is long."
You can hear the above evasive excuses in 5:9 by the ancient corrupt bureaucrat saying it the same way as Carl.