The Pursuit of Justice: Law and Economics of Legal Systems
By Edward Lopez
After returning home to the United States from a trip abroad, I almost always experience a comforting sense of security. The surroundings look familiar, traffic is relatively sane, and I always know where to find a great burger when I need one. But there is something deeper going on as well. Here in the United States, if I get robbed of my property I can be pretty sure it was not the police who did it. If I am falsely accused of committing a crime, I at least know I’ll have the benefit of due process to prove my innocence. And when I plop down on my sofa with a good book, I know I can relax in the privacy and security of my own four walls for as long as I want. Citizens of most other countries can’t say these same things, and that’s too bad. So I feel fortunate to be a U.S. citizen. I have to admit. When it comes to the relatively well functioning U.S. legal system, I have a bit of a romantic streak in me.
