In 2005, Walmart was accused of illegally denying lunch breaks to its California workers – violating a 2001 state law requiring a 30-minute unpaid lunch break for workers clocking 6+ hours. The case went to court and here’s where the US Constitution steps in: the 6th and 7th Amendments guarantee the right to a jury trial.12 ordinary citizens, randomly selected from the voters list, heard the case.
About 70% of US judges & public prosecutors are elected or recallable, meaning citizens can literally fire them. This makes the judiciary answerable to the public, not the powerful. The jury’s verdict? Walmart had to pay $172 million to 116,000 workers:– $57M in general damages (compensation)– $115M in punitive damages (punishment + deterrence)In plain English, Jury said: “You broke the law. Pay back the workers and take a heavy penalty so you – and others like you – never try this again.”
This is how citizens’ juries + accountable judges protect ordinary people. Now contrast with India: Bhopal Gas Tragedy – 25,000 dead, 500,000 injured. Yet Chief Justices granted bail to Union Carbide executives. Not a single day in jail for those responsible. Why? Because here, judges are neither elected nor recallable. The incentive lies in colluding with elites, not protecting citizens.
Meanwhile, paid media – influencers, leaders, journalists, textbook writers, “intellectuals” – often distract citizens by talking about “civic sense” or “culture.” This is deliberate misdirection to waste your time. The real difference? In much of the West (and even China), jury courts exist. Citizens – not the ruling class – hold the power to fine, punish, and decide guilt. That power creates fear in CEOs, politicians, and executives – forcing better behavior.
Note – Even the US Has Loopholes: Walmart appealed to higher courts.3 circuit court judges and later 9 Supreme Court judges (all appointed for life, not elected) overturned the jury’s verdict. No payout (US does not have jury trials in higher courts). When unelected, lifetime appointed judges hold power, incentives shift back toward protecting corporations. Forget “culture” and “civic sense.” In a democracy, the only question that matters is: “Who has the power to fine, punish, and decide guilt – the citizens or the ruling elite?”
