The Age of Minor Offenses: When Ordinary People Can Be Criminalized for Living, While Billionaires Get Away with Corruption
By [Your Name], FormerJournalist for Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, CCTV, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times
The adage one law for the rich, another forthe poor is not a relic of the past; it’s a stark reality in contemporary China. While ordinary citizens are increasingly entangled in a web of minor offenses, thewealthy and powerful seem to enjoy a level of impunity that borders on the absurd.
This Age of Minor Offenses is characterized by a disparity in the application of law that is both alarming and unjust. For the average citizen,simply living can be a legal minefield. From the mundane act of picking snails to the more serious offense of demanding unpaid wages, the scope of potential legal violations seems endless. One netizen aptly summarizes this situation: Ordinary people can be criminalizedfor anything, from picking snails to riding an electric bike, demanding wages is considered malicious extortion, burning crop residue is illegal, even slaughtering a pig raised at home is illegal, and raising too many chickens and ducks without a license is illegal.
Meanwhile, those in positions of power and wealth operate with a differentset of rules. A former deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, who embezzled 400 million yuan, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. Similarly, a former police chief in Liaoning province, who stole 555 million yuan, received the same sentence.
The death with reprieve sentence, in essence, means that the execution is delayed for two years. If the individual commits no further crimes during that period, they are spared the death penalty and instead receive a life sentence. As one netizen puts it, Why are they not executed? Experts and officialsare pushing for the abolition of the death penalty, paving the way for themselves.
This disparity in sentencing is not just limited to corruption cases. In 2008, the chairman of Sanlu Group, a major dairy company, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the contamination of milk powder that affected 300,000 infants. Despite this egregious crime, she has received three reductions in her sentence over the years and is expected to be released in 2027.
This pattern of leniency towards the wealthy and powerful is not a coincidence. The close ties between business and government, oftenmanifested in the form of advisory roles and political appointments for business leaders, create a system where the wealthy enjoy a privileged status.
The stark contrast between the harsh treatment of ordinary citizens and the lenient treatment of the wealthy and powerful raises serious concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the legal system. Thisdisparity not only undermines public trust in the law but also creates a climate of fear and insecurity for ordinary citizens.
Conclusion
The Age of Minor Offenses is a worrying trend that threatens the very fabric of Chinese society. The disparity in the application of law, where ordinary citizens are criminalized foreveryday activities while the wealthy and powerful enjoy impunity, is a dangerous precedent. It is imperative that the legal system be reformed to ensure fairness and equality for all citizens, regardless of their social status or wealth. Only then can we truly achieve a society based on the rule of law and justice.
References
- [Link to the original article on UuNews.com]
- [Link to other relevant articles or reports]
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