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De facto vs de jure

Pedantic rule-based systems are easy to circumvent with loopholes and lacunas. That’s why we should look at the substance and not merely a [legal] form

Examples:

- form: a cryptocurrency, but substance: an unregistered security

- “medical alcohol” during dry laws / Prohibition

- “medical marijuana” & patients vs drug users

- etc.

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Was Third Reich[1] a “sovereign government” or a front for The National Socialist German Workers' Party?

Was USSR a “sovereign government” or a front for a Communist Party?

Is Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) a “sovereign government” or merely a front for IRGC[2]?

And wasn’t Iran/Persia already a “sovereign government” before IRGC staged a coup d'état (aka “revolution”)?

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> "De facto" and "de jure" are Latin terms used to distinguish between what exists in reality and what is legally recognized. "De facto" refers to something that exists in practice or reality, even if not officially established or legally recognized. "De jure" refers to something that is legally recognized or officially established

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1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany

2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Revolutionary_Guard_...