Democracy reflects human imperfections, how things go wrong. This can happen even with good people in charge.
Power goes with the office and can be a competing influence.
I was recently in Chennai for the opening of a new college of journalism. We need to celebrate the free press as a vitally important part of a free society, even it does not make life comfortable, along with the importance of the rule of law and an independent judiciary. They must be willing to work to build constituencies for change so even the unpopular step becomes the chosen, preferred step. Most important historic steps cut against the grain of public opinion. I know this from my personal experience in a crisis in my home state of Ohio when I was Governor.