Freedom to speak, worship, create, and even to work, is a privilege granted by government. Most people in the world are both dependent upon and limited by their governments. In those nations where government possesses sovereign power over the lives of individuals, those who control government are the ruling class. New blood enters the ruling class, not be election, but by selection. The ruling class chooses only those whose activities are consistent with their own agenda to bring into the ruling class.
Kings control the ruling class by bloodline.
Dictators control the ruling class by rewarding loyalty. Communist and socialist regimes control the ruling class by carefully selecting those individuals who demonstrate solidarity of belief and performance. Even parliamentary systems tend to reflect incestuous influence through the ruling parties. But the American system of government is changing. New forces, external forces, are exerting influences that challenge the bedrock realization of individual sovereignty, and are eroding the legislative process as the mechanism for the creation public policy.