European corruption of law
25th June 2009
One of the worst aspects of both the Human Rights Act and European law generally is that they encourage disreputable behaviour. Much European law consists of vague statements of principle that are concerned with ideals rather than practicalities and in doing so leaves scope for spurious claims by those keen to bask in the bright sunshine of victimhood or who see the chance to enrich themselves with an unearned buck. It might just be that I am too deeply immersed in the English common law to understand the European way of doing things, but I am not so immersed as to be unable to see a style of law that is more concerned with political gestures than with freely agreed individual relationships.
This applies equally well to Latin America, which takes its legal and cultural traditions from Europe, and is therefore constantly awash in high-sounding idealistic slogans papered over perennial violence, oppression, and corruption.