Three Sheep Company Fined A Perspective on Law’s Class Nature

The Unequal Application of Law: A Case Study of Sanzhiyang Company’sFine

The recent fine levied against Sanzhiyang Company, a prominent online influencer,has sparked heated debate regarding the perceived disparity in how the law is applied to different social classes in China. While the company was fined a staggering 68.9491 million yuan for selling products that did not meet their advertised descriptions, many have pointed to seemingly lighter punishments handed down to individuals and smaller businesses for similar offenses. Thisraises a critical question: does the law truly serve as an impartial arbiter of justice, or does it disproportionately favor the wealthy and powerful?

Sanzhiyang’s case highlights a disturbing trend. The company, with its vastresources and influence, was penalized for misleading consumers, but the fine, while substantial, represents a mere fraction of its overall revenue. This stands in stark contrast to the harsh penalties often imposed on ordinary citizens for relatively minor infractions.

Considerthe case of a 19-year-old student in Zhengzhou who was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for illegally hunting endangered wildlife in 2014. Or the farmer in Minhou who was fined 100,000 yuan for selling vegetables with pesticide residue exceedingpermissible limits, despite earning only 14 yuan from the sale. These examples, along with the 2024 case of a couple in Changchun who were sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for selling pork as beef, illustrate the stark disparity in how the law is applied.

The case of Sanlu Group, a dairy company that was responsible for a massive food safety scandal in 2008, further underscores this point. While the company’s chairman, Tian Wenhua, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the scandal, he received multiple reductions in his sentence and was released after serving only 18years.

Meanwhile, Hunan Chaqi Food Industry, a company known for its unsanitary practices in producing sauerkraut, was fined only 5.488 million yuan in 2022. After paying the fine and undergoing a sanitation inspection, the company was allowed to resume production.

These examples suggest that the law in China is not always applied equally. While the government emphasizes rule of law and constitutional governance, the reality on the ground appears to be different. The Constitution of the People’s Republic of China explicitly states that the country is a socialist state under the leadership ofthe working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants. However, the preferential treatment afforded to the wealthy and powerful seems to contradict this principle.

The unequal application of the law undermines public trust in the legal system and can lead to social unrest. It is crucial for the government to address this issue and ensure that thelaw is applied fairly and impartially to all citizens, regardless of their social status or economic standing. Only then can true justice prevail and a truly equitable society be achieved.

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