That tends to be wishful thinking if someone hopes that will cause change ie the punished public gets tired of being punished and rises up to dispose the evil leaders that are the ultimate attracters of the punishment.
If the public felt that engaged and empowered the horrible person would never reach power in the first place. A sense of hopelessness and powerlessness is a hallmark of just about any oppressed people.
"we'll just kill the shit out of them until they take out the leader we can't get to" doesn't work.
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