When the law exists without conscience, it becomes a dead letter. It ceases to be an instrument of justice and becomes a commodity to be traded. And then everything falls apart: the courts cease to be courts, the authorities cease to be authorities, and the state becomes an arena for personal interests.
Corruption is not just theft from the public purse. It is a theft of trust. People’s trust in the authorities, society’s trust in the law, and citizens’ trust in their own state. This is precisely what makes it more dangerous than any external threat. When the people stop believing that the law is fair, they stop believing in the state itself.
We can create new institutions, set up commissions and pass dozens of anti-corruption laws. But if these laws are not underpinned by a sense of conscience, nothing will change. Honesty cannot be replaced by formalities, just as the truth cannot be replaced by fine words.
History teaches us that empires have collapsed not only because of wars, but also because of internal decay. And this decay always began with corruption. A country in which the law is subordinate to conscience is capable of weathering any trial. A country where the law serves the interests of individuals is doomed.
I am convinced that corruption is a form of betrayal. And the only way to combat it is by restoring the spirit of conscience and justice to the law. A law imbued with honesty will become a force that lifts the country up. A law without conscience is merely an instrument of destruction.
With faith in God, truth and justice.
I am honoured!
Andrey Gmyrin
