Dagon comments on Do policy makers frequently underestimate non-human threats (ie: epidemic, natural disasters, climate change) when compared to threats that are human in nature (ie: military conflict, economic competition, Cold War)?

[Dagon]

I think there’s a bunch of subtlety in the causation, but yes, most political units act on self-preservation more fervently than pursuing their nominal goals. Another filter would be that those who control and benefit from the organization are acting in their interests, even when the non-powerful “members” are harmed.