Without encryption, we will lose all privacy – Edward Snowden

One fundamental premise of representative democracy is that the State protects citizens, and generally their country.

What does it say when a State actively engaged in weakening the country, exposing its citizens and businesses to attacks by any nefarious actor?

I'm positively at a loss. It's one thing to desire more (even absolute) power; it's another thing entirely to weaken the very thing you're trying to rule. What's the endgame here? Ruling over ashes, to ruin everyone's wealth and security (including yours) because... because what?