Q. How does Tolstoy portray the Russian justice system in God Sees the Truth, But Waits? Is it fair or flawed?
In “God Sees the Truth, But Waits”, Leo Tolstoy portrays the Russian justice system as flawed and unjust. The story of Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov, a man wrongfully convicted of murder, illustrates how the system can be unfair and lead to the suffering of innocent people.
Throughout the story, Tolstoy emphasizes the failings of the legal process and the harsh consequences it has on individuals, showing that the system is far from perfect.
Aksionov’s Arrest
Aksionov is a merchant who is traveling to a fair when he is falsely accused of murdering a fellow merchant. He is innocent, but the authorities quickly arrest him after they find a bloody knife in his bag.
This knife was placed there by the real murderer, but Aksionov has no way to prove his innocence. The police do not investigate the matter deeply or consider other possibilities. They see the knife, assume Aksionov is guilty, and arrest him without giving him a fair chance to explain.
This quick arrest without proper investigation shows that the Russian justice system in the story is careless and hasty.
The authorities rely on superficial evidence, like the discovery of the knife, instead of searching for the true culprit. They are more concerned with closing the case quickly than with finding out the truth.
Lack of a Fair Trial
When Aksionov is put on trial, the court does not give him a fair hearing. He tries to tell the judge and the jury that he is innocent, but no one listens to him.
His reputation as a good and honest man does not help him either. Once the evidence is presented, the court immediately assumes that he is guilty. Aksionov is sentenced to hard labor in Siberia for life, with no real chance to defend himself.
Tolstoy portrays the trial process as deeply flawed. Aksionov is convicted based on circumstantial evidence, and there is no attempt to look for other explanations.
The court does not seem interested in considering his side of the story or investigating further. This shows how the Russian justice system, as depicted in the story, is more focused on punishing people quickly than ensuring they receive a fair trial.
Harsh Punishment and Suffering
After Aksionov is convicted, he is sent to Siberia to serve a life sentence of hard labor. The punishment is severe, especially since he is innocent.
Aksionov’s life is destroyed because of the harsh and unjust sentence. He loses his family, his business, and his freedom. His wife and children are left to suffer without him, and he is forced to live in harsh conditions in prison for the rest of his life.
The harshness of Aksionov’s punishment highlights another flaw in the Russian justice system. Even if someone is guilty, the punishment does not fit the crime. In Aksionov’s case, the punishment is particularly unfair because he did nothing wrong.
However, even for those who are guilty, the system seems to focus on punishment rather than rehabilitation or justice. Aksionov’s sentence is more about cruelty and suffering than about justice or fairness.
Wrongful Convictions
Aksionov’s wrongful conviction is the central injustice in the story. He is an innocent man who is punished for a crime he did not commit, and no one in the justice system seems to care about finding the truth.
The authorities, the judge, and the court are all satisfied with the surface-level evidence, and they never question whether they might be wrong. Aksionov is left to suffer for many years because the system fails to do its job properly.
This wrongful conviction shows that the Russian justice system, as Tolstoy portrays it, is deeply flawed. It punishes the innocent without making sure they are truly guilty. The system is more concerned with appearances and quick resolutions than with finding the truth or providing real justice.
Aksionov’s story demonstrates the devastating impact of these failures, as he spends most of his life in prison for something he didn’t do.
Lack of Accountability
Another problem Tolstoy highlights is the lack of accountability in the justice system. Once Aksionov is convicted, no one in the system seems interested in reconsidering the case or questioning the original decision.
Even when the real murderer, Makar Semyonich, is revealed, the authorities do not take action to free Aksionov. There is no process in place for correcting mistakes, and once someone is convicted, it seems impossible to undo that decision.
This lack of accountability shows how rigid and unbending the justice system is. Once a decision is made, it is final, and no one is willing to question it, even when new evidence comes to light.
This rigidity leads to Aksionov’s continued suffering, even when the truth is finally revealed. The system is designed to protect itself rather than to serve justice, and this further illustrates its flaws.
Injustice and Corruption
Tolstoy also hints at the possibility of corruption in the justice system. The police and the courts are quick to convict Aksionov without thoroughly investigating the crime, suggesting that they may be more interested in closing the case than in finding the real murderer.
This could indicate that the system is corrupt, with officials prioritizing their own convenience or interests over true justice.
Although the story does not explicitly describe corruption, the actions of the police and the court suggest that they are not concerned with fairness or truth.
This lack of care for justice can be seen as a form of corruption, where the authorities are more interested in maintaining the appearance of order than in actually upholding the law. Aksionov’s wrongful conviction is a result of this careless and possibly corrupt system.
Conclusion
In “God Sees the Truth, But Waits”, Tolstoy portrays the Russian justice system as deeply flawed. It is a system that acts hastily, convicts without proper investigation, and punishes harshly. Aksionov’s wrongful conviction shows how the system fails to protect the innocent and often leads to unjust suffering.
The lack of accountability and the possibility of corruption further highlight the problems within the justice system. Through Aksionov’s story, Tolstoy shows the devastating consequences of an unfair and careless legal process, leaving readers to question the reliability of human justice.
