"Professional artists" --- This comment of yours Petru reminded me of an 'institution' we had in former Yugoslavia under Tito's regime called 'professional artist' that consisted of bestowing regular monthly salary to many artists from different fields, regardless of how good they were at what they did, and how much art would they be eventually 'create'.

It began back in the '50-ies when they were expected to engage in propaganda to glorify 'revolutionary achievements' of the Communist Party, but as of early '70-ies this 'propaganda element' was replaced by a mere expectation to not criticise the Party, i.e., they were paid to keep their mouths shut.

Not sure if this existed in other communist regimes, but I think it's a telling sign of how authoritarian regimes are aware just how fragile they are and how they need to 'bribe' individuals capable of critical thinking (and acting).

Source author: Andrej Skrinjaric andrejs@diplomacy.edu