"Thieves have authority where judges steal themselves"

["S Roy" <subyroy@mailcity.com>]

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I have concluded that only theives or faqirs can thrive in >India -- N. P.
Singh, IPI.

---  Dear Mr. Singh,

I have been enjoying reading your recent posts.  But would I be wrong to
put down the somewhat cynical statement above to youthful exuberance?
There are a lot of people who are not thieves in India, as elsewhere, while
the term "faqir" really is a Western anachronism not in current use, rather
like "snake-charmer".

However, your comment did remind me of one I made myself 20 years ago in my
doctoral thesis "On liberty and economic growth: preface to a philosophy
for India" at Cambridge University, where, I think I had quoted from
Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" :

"Thieves have authority, where judges steal themselves".

That seemed to me rather profound for both India and other countries.   I
was reminded of it again when I experienced demonstrable perjury and
bribery in the United States Federal Courts a few years ago.

Sincerely

Subroto Roy




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