Imagine a world where, for 12 hours, all crime – including murder – is legal.
Marrakech – Today we are going to step into the terrifying premise of “The Purge”, the hit 2013 movie franchise that explores what happens when society removes all legal consequences for a single night.
But what if the Purge was real? Would the world descend into chaos, or would it play out differently than Hollywood imagines?
In the Purge, the government claims that legalizing crime for one night reduces overall violence and keeps society stable.
But in reality, human psychology suggests that not everyone would suddenly turn into a killer.
Most violent crimes occur due to personal conflicts, not because people are waiting for a legal excuse to kill.
However, widespread looting, revenge crimes, and attacks on the wealthy or powerful could become a terrifying reality.
If the Purge was real, the most vulnerable members of society would likely suffer the most.
Those without secure homes, private security, or weapons would be easy targets.
The wealthy would retreat to fortified mansions, leaving lower-income neighborhoods to deal with the worst of the violence.
Corrupt individuals might also use the chaos to eliminate enemies, and organized crime groups could take advantage of the situation to settle scores.
While the Purge suggests that crime would drop for the rest of the year, real-world crime patterns don’t support this idea.
Countries with high crime rates often have weak law enforcement, economic instability, and deep-rooted social issues.
If an annual Purge became real, it could lead to a breakdown in trust, economic collapse, and an exodus of citizens seeking safer places to live.
Businesses wouldn’t invest in a country where destruction is guaranteed once a year, and hospitals would be overwhelmed.
Who would benefit?
In the movies, the government uses the Purge as a form of population control, disproportionately targeting the poor.
If this happened in real life, corporations profiting from private security, insurance, and weapons sales would thrive.
Meanwhile, authoritarian governments could use it as an excuse to eliminate opposition.
Essentially, the powerful would find ways to benefit, while the average person would live in fear.
Not everyone would accept The Purge without resistance.
Some communities might form militias to protect themselves, while underground networks could emerge to hide vulnerable individuals.
Technology, such as surveillance and AI security systems, could also be used to monitor and counter attacks.
Over time, a rebellion against The Purge could arise, much like in the later films.
At its core, The Purge isn’t just about violence – it’s about what happens when society removes accountability.
Without consequences, power imbalances would deepen, and trust between citizens would disappear.
The real horror isn’t just crime; it’s the loss of morality, empathy, and the social contract that holds civilization together.
So, while the Purge makes for a thrilling movie, in reality, it would likely lead to long-term devastation rather than a “cleansed” society.
And maybe that’s the real message: our laws and moral codes exist for a reason – because without them, humanity could become its own worst nightmare.
