"But Estonian leaders acted boldly. First, they swiftly eliminated compromised communist-era civil servants and replaced them with motivated, young opposition activists. This deprived would-be political capitalists of the patrons they needed to pursue their illicit ends.

This policy cut off the budding economic criminals who profit from state largesse rather than entrepreneurial aptitude — and made it possible for real entrepreneurs to thrive. Deprived of subsidies, old-guard enterprise directors and crony capitalists could not muster enough political influence to hold governments hostage. Estonian leaders could then create a rule-of-law state that stands alone among its post-communist peers. "

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/03/10/to-establish-the-rule-of-law-cut-off-elites-purses-and-power-heres-how/