Rich Above the Law

This cluster discusses how wealthy individuals are effectively immune to legal consequences, facing only fines or leniency that don't impact them, unlike poorer people who suffer harsher punishments.

📉 Falling 0.4x Politics & Society
2,301
Comments
19
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#857
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2008
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2009
11
2010
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2011
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2012
22
2013
99
2014
43
2015
79
2016
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2017
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2018
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2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2024
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2026
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Keywords

c.f e.g EFF OP HN SEC JEDI AND CEO HUGE rich rich people jail law wealthy poor laws fines wealth poor people

Sample Comments

zach_garwood Sep 11, 2022 View on HN

Well, if it were illegal, then rich folks might go to prison, and we can't have that, now can we!?

nilved Sep 8, 2017 View on HN

Recognized that the law doesn't apply to rich people?

calciphus May 31, 2019 View on HN

Punishable by fine = legal for rich people.

badpun Jun 29, 2025 View on HN

You’re essentially saying that rich people are above the law. If that’s the case, we should fix that first.

andirk Nov 12, 2022 View on HN

Let me guess: rich people did very illegal things and no one will be prosecuted.

freen Apr 3, 2025 View on HN

You have discovered why the rich do not go to jail and the poor do.

fanwood May 26, 2025 View on HN

Not really, it's just that rich people are mostly above the law most of the time

martythemaniak Jan 15, 2012 View on HN

The rich and powerful have their own set of laws, whose leniency is proportional to your net worth.

squidbeak Jun 27, 2024 View on HN

I think the poster means those rich who have committed offences, but enjoy softer penalities thanks to their wealth.

It's unclear yet whether anything will really change. It is a perfect example though of how the rich are above the law.