The Law Is Biased
Everywhere
The Difference Is What
You Can Do About It.
written by Judy Fay London
My friends, let me ask you a question. Do you
think the laws in your country treat everyone equally? Or do they often protect
the wealthy and powerful while disciplining ordinary people?
If you said the second, you’re not being
cynical. You’re being observant. From ancient times to this day, the rules and
laws are written by the ruling class, by those with the most resources, and
they tend to bend in their favor.
So the nature of law globally is this: in
almost every country, regardless of political system, many laws and regulations
are structured to serve the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary
citizens.
But there are big differences between dictatorships
and democratic countries. The question is no longer whether the law is biased,
but rather what you can do about it.
In a democracy, you can usually do something. Biased
laws can be challenged in court. Journalists can expose unequal enforcement
without being imprisoned. Citizens can vote out a government, sue the state, or
organize a union. Those tools are why we have labor protections, civil rights
laws, consumer protection, and limits on police power.
None of them were gifts. People fought for
them, using the tools democracy provides.
But in an authoritarian system such as Russia’s,
the legal system is not an objective framework for justice. It’s a tool of
discipline.
Remember: dictatorships
don’t abandon laws; they weaponize them. What matters is not whether laws
exist, but who controls their interpretation and enforcement, and whose
interests they serve. In Russia, bureaucratic regulations, tax codes, and judicial
rulings are all leveraged to protect the state rather than the people.
Under Putin, the government has used laws and
rules to restrict political opposition, independent media, and public protest.
Laws on so-called “foreign agents,” public demonstrations, and criticism of the
military have been used to pressure journalists, activists, opposition figures,
and ordinary citizens who challenge official policies.
The message to ordinary people is clear: you may live your private life,
work, pay taxes, and follow official rules, but challenging those who hold
power can carry serious consequences.
And when something is unfair, what can an ordinary Russian do? Very
little, and at great personal risk. The press is muzzled. In political
cases, the courts often take orders. So, people stay silent, and many
pretend to be content.
Meanwhile, for the loyal oligarchs and security
officials, the law is a shield. As long as they remain loyal to the regime,
their wealth is legally insulated from the economic realities facing the rest
of the nation. Fall out of favor, though, and the same law is used to strip
away everything they own.
Still, as I said above, the sad truth is that
almost everywhere, laws are written and enforced in a world where wealth and
power shape the outcome. But in a democracy, they don’t own the whole system, because
democracies keep three pillars alive that dictatorships cannot allow:
- An independent judiciary:
Judges are meant to be independent of the government, which allows them to
rule against the state or powerful corporations.
- A free press:
Investigative journalists can expose legal corruption without being thrown
in jail.
- The right to organize:
Citizens can form labor unions, consumer advocacy groups, and civil rights
organizations to lobby for counter-legislation.
And these three factors allow ordinary people to enjoy stronger
legal protections, more chances to challenge police conduct in court, the
benefits of a free press, competitive elections, and greater freedom to build
opposition movements.
These safeguards are imperfect, and violations
still occur, but they make it harder for any government to monopolize the
definition of legality and justice.
For example, in democratic countries, you can
hear the voices of Epstein’s victims even though the system failed them for a
long time. In the most closed dictatorships, like North Korea, you never hear
from such victims inside the country. Don’t assume they don’t exist. They do.
You just don’t know them, because their voices have been silenced.
My friends, no society in this world is truly
fair, and laws and rules often protect the powerful and the wealthy. But you
can use the tools that only democratic countries offer to protect yourself and
to fight for more rights for ordinary people.
Hence, democracy matters. A free press matters.
An independent court matters. Don’t let greedy politicians who want to be kings
destroy them, because once they are gone, you won’t get them back easily, and
the powerful will be happy to see them go.
About Me
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