Introduction
In as much as the law advocates for equality irrespective of age, gender or social class, it sometimes tend to favors the socially and economically privileged persons. These favors can be noted by careful evaluation of certain implications and applications of the law. Many countries, whether developed and underdeveloped, suffer from this legal problem, despite their efforts of containing the situation.
Body
The law consists of several clauses including the ones that safeguard the rights of the general public. However, many citizens do not enjoy these rights due to various underlying reasons, which include poverty or lack of funds. This point is emphasized when an individual’s rights are violated, and thus requires a considerable amount to facilitate compensation claims.
A person will have to spend a substantial amount of money, in hiring a lawyer who will represent him or her in court. However, these fees paid to attorneys are always not affordable especially to the economically deprived persons.
This, therefore, places the underprivileged persons in a position of not being able to protect their rights or claim for damages incase of infringement. On the other hand, the economically privileged persons have the capacity of hiring some of the best attorneys, to represent them in courts, in cases of infringements. This grants them the capacity to protect their legal rights, when breached or disregarded.
In most countries, laws are made by the congress or parliament, which are bodies consisting of upper-class persons. As they make these laws, they often favor their interests, instead of protecting the rights and interest of the numerous citizens. For instance, they enact several laws that favor their interest, which in most cases entails the increase of remunerations and unreasonable privileges.
Despite being extraordinarily remunerated, they still draft laws which grant them automatic VIP treatments, pay their intercontinental trips, exempt them from tax, and pay for their overseas medical treatments (Hamutuk). However, this is often not a reflection of what most citizens would have wanted their money spent. On the contrary, most citizens prefer their taxes to be used in either development activities or improving the lives of the unfortunate.
These scenarios are common in developing countries, whereby citizens are left to languish in poverty, while their leaders enjoy their lavish privileges. This is extremely unfortunate to the unprivileged citizens, since they are denied fundamental rights to basic needs, which include food, clothing and shelter.
Law makers have various wealthy friends in the society, who influences some of their vital decisions. They often draft and enact laws that favor their friends as a reward to some of their previous assistances or deals (Kornblum, 165). For example, certain countries pass laws such as tax cuts to certain economic class (upper class) thus making them wealthier; for instance, the US (in 2001).
Additionally, certain countries restrict the number of immigrants based on an individual’s economical abilities; only the wealthy are allowed to enter the country. Such laws are unfair to the poor, since they lean in favor of one side i.e. the rich.
Conclusion
It is extremely significant for the law to uphold parity irrespective of an individual’s background, age, social status or class. However, in most scenarios, the law seems to protect the interest of the wealthy, instead of maintaining a level ground. This can be observed in various circumstances whereby the wealthy are, to a certain degree, favored by the law. The legal system should, therefore, consider adopting certain mechanisms that may help contain such scenarios.
Works Cited
Hamutuk, La’o. Save the people’s money. Coalition to save the money of the people and nation. 2007. Web.
Kornblum, William. Sociology in a changing world. Belmont: Cengage learning 2007 (8) 165-168.