When one speaks in the abstract about "institutionalized" abuse of power it is important to remember it is the combined individual actions (or lack thereof) of those individuals that comprise the actors within the institution itself that are responsible for the abuse.
In short, it is the sum total of individual collective actions that perpetuates institutional abuse of power.
By definition, if there were only "a few bad apples" it would not be institutionalized abuse of power. Moreover responsibility for such abuse of power is not uniformly distributed throughout the pool of institutional actors.
In a hierarchal organization bad actions (or non-action to correct the bad actions of subordinates) by those at the top have an asymmetrical influence on promoting the institutionalized abuse of power within the organization.
In other words, institutional abuse of power by a few bad apples at the top of the barrel is similar to a rotting fish. The ethics rot begins at the head and rots downward infecting the entire institution. Subordinates who tolerate bad apples at the top and/or the bad actions of their colleagues through non-intervention (i.e. not participating in the bad action themselves but ignoring and/or not reporting it) have begun the progressive process of ethics rot themselves.
When this putrification process has spread throughout the institution the abuse of power is said to have become institutionalized, and any self-corrective action from within is impossible. At this point only the actions of people outside the institution itself can stop the decay, and frequently the only recourse is to disband the institution and replace it with another.
In short, it is the sum total of individual collective actions that perpetuates institutional abuse of power.
By definition, if there were only "a few bad apples" it would not be institutionalized abuse of power. Moreover responsibility for such abuse of power is not uniformly distributed throughout the pool of institutional actors.
In a hierarchal organization bad actions (or non-action to correct the bad actions of subordinates) by those at the top have an asymmetrical influence on promoting the institutionalized abuse of power within the organization.
In other words, institutional abuse of power by a few bad apples at the top of the barrel is similar to a rotting fish. The ethics rot begins at the head and rots downward infecting the entire institution. Subordinates who tolerate bad apples at the top and/or the bad actions of their colleagues through non-intervention (i.e. not participating in the bad action themselves but ignoring and/or not reporting it) have begun the progressive process of ethics rot themselves.
When this putrification process has spread throughout the institution the abuse of power is said to have become institutionalized, and any self-corrective action from within is impossible. At this point only the actions of people outside the institution itself can stop the decay, and frequently the only recourse is to disband the institution and replace it with another.
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