The whole point of Section 31 in DS9 was that they weren’t necessary. If you watched DS9 and took home the idea that the Federation couldn’t exist without Section 31, you need a media literacy course.
One of the main series themes of DS9 was “how do you maintain your morality under challenging conditions, working alongside people who don’t share it”. Section 31 is a challenge to the main cast’s morality that they are supposed to overcome.
The whole point of Section 31 in DS9 was that they weren’t necessary. If you watched DS9 and took home the idea that the Federation couldn’t exist without Section 31, you need a media literacy course.
One of the main series themes of DS9 was “how do you maintain your morality under challenging conditions, working alongside people who don’t share it”. Section 31 is a challenge to the main cast’s morality that they are supposed to overcome.