From Great to... ?

India has rule of law. in theory.

but when there is a traffic accident
the driver of the larger vehicle
jumps out and flees
fearing that a lynch mob of
vigilantes
will take justice
into their hands,
without following the rule of law:
presumed innocence
and due process.

government officials and those who
should protect society
abuse their powers
on a regular basis.
nothing gets done without
bribery and connections.
contractors, licenses,
college degrees
can all be bought
rapes, murders, corruption

go unpunished and unconsequenced.
those in power are there for
the sole purpose of
living above the law.
Justice is a farce.

until we return to respecting
the rule of law,
I see little hope for the
future of a once great nation.

laws can and must evolve.
but there is due collaborative and consultative process for that too.

I spy an increasing trend
for some leaders
in other countries,
to ignore the rule of law in their land;
unilaterally reinventing or worse,
applying certain aspects of the law to others
while flouting it themselves.

soon, these "great" nations
will also have the prefix
“once” before the “great”