bereft of strength ― powerless

There's nothing hinky about this.

Marc Spector: It turns out that I am what you call cash poor (Marc Spector: Moon Knight #1, June 1, 1989.)

Politicians have several times warned that there could be a Weimarisation of the postsocialist region, including Hungary. It should be remembered that it was mass unemployment and waves of inflation in Weimar Germany that led to mass disillusionment and rejection of the institutions of democracy and the parliamentary system. This economically-induced disillusionment provides a fertile breeding ground for demagogy, cheap promises and desires for iron-handed leadership.