What were the purposes of the Salem theocracy in The Crucible?

The fundamental purpose of the theocracy in Salem was to
ensure that individuals are bound to a strict moral code of conduct in both personal and
political terms.  In linking God to the political setting, Salem citizens were content
with not having a public and private distinction.  Everything was subject to spiritual
scrutiny on all levels, confirming that the people of Salem walked with " a candle to
light the world," as Miller suggests.  The theocracy was designed to bolster this,
judging individuals on both political and spiritual levels.  At the same time, the
theocratic rule allowed individuals with religious backgrounds, such as Parris, to
assume unprecedented levels of power.  This is why Parris, and to a lesser extent, Hale,
hold so much power in Salem.  It is for this reason that Salem empowered the clergy so
much.  At the same time, a theocracy enabled the ruling elite of Salem to inflict power
over individuals for breaking moral or spiritual codes of conflict, allowing a greater
consolidation of power at the hands of the few over the many.