Social justice crusaders should not work for free
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There is nothing wrong with helping others while gaining something in return, be it money or fame.
Zhao Zuohai was once a media hero after successfully winning state compensation of 650, 000 yuan ($95,500) for being wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
Now he is on a national campaign as a "civil rights agent" to help people file lawsuits against possible power abuse. However, some people are upset because they say he will profit from this venture.
Zhao's attention on any case does not guarantee victory in the courts. The fact is, numerous people believe they suffer from injustice and hope they can repeat Zhao's miracle.
However, lawyers around the country are eager to profit from this national symbol of justice.
Since Zhao was cleared of murder and won compensation earlier this year, he needs the assistance of several lawyers and law firms. He and his partner, Lin Wencai, have established partnerships with several law firms in Sichuan, Yunan and Heilongjiang provinces.
As Zhao's crusade gains momentum, he will have to enlist the help of several law firms because he can't do all the work alone. So, Zhao needs to cooperate with law firms that will gain profit from his efforts. The criticism comes from a report claiming Zhao will also profit from his services, even though he once did it for free.
Whether this is true or not, it is not wise to simply impose moral judgment on him for gaining profit by providing help. Helping others safeguard their rights is not necessarily a free service.
If more people can protect their rights and benefit from Zhao's help and experience, why shouldn't he get paid for his consultancy and service?
The biggest problem may come from the lawyers who cooperate with Zhao. Lawyers usually want large profits for doing legal work. It is not rare for lawyers to be paid handsomely even when their clients lose the case. These lawyers might fail to mention beforehand that even with Zhao as their representative they may still lose the case.
The fuss around Zhao and civil rights cases has more to do with rampant abuse of power in many local government agencies than the legal fees involved in fighting the cases.
The root of the problem comes from poor regulations and monitoring of agencies and individuals in positions of power. If there were no abuse of power then people would not feel the need to file lawsuits to secure their legal rights.
China does not need only one person like Zhao looking out for the public, but it needs hundreds, if not thousands, of them.
