The Doctrine of Permanent Suspicion: Institutional Distrust and the Transformation of Public Power

This paper analyzes a structural form of governance based on institutional distrust toward public workers, particularly within security forces. It introduces the concept of the “Doctrine of Permanent Suspicion” to describe a regime characterized by preventive control, extralegal surveillance, and administrative practices that undermine fundamental rights under the appearance of legality. Drawing on legal theory, political philosophy, and institutional analysis, the study argues that such practices represent a transformation in the exercise of public power, shifting from legal regulation to suspicion-based governance. The paper concludes by outlining the need for a normative and institutional reconfiguration grounded in legal guarantees, accountability, and democratic legitimacy.