How to Read “Hanging goes by favour”
“Hanging goes by favour”
[HANG-ing goes by FAY-ver]
All words use standard pronunciation.
Meaning of “Hanging goes by favour”
Simply put, this proverb means that justice often depends on who you know rather than what you did.
The literal words paint a dark picture from history’s courtrooms. “Hanging” refers to the death penalty, while “favour” means special treatment or bias. Together, they suggest that even life-or-death decisions can be influenced by personal connections. The proverb warns that justice systems can become corrupt when judges show favoritism.
We use this saying today whenever fairness gets pushed aside for personal gain. It applies when someone gets a job because their parent knows the boss. It fits when a student receives better grades because the teacher likes them. The proverb also describes situations where wealthy people avoid punishment while poor people face harsh consequences for similar crimes.
What makes this wisdom particularly striking is its brutal honesty about power. Most people want to believe that justice is blind and fair. This proverb forces us to acknowledge that human bias creeps into every system. It reminds us that those in power often protect their friends and punish their enemies, regardless of what’s right.
Origin and Etymology
The exact origin of this proverb is unknown, though it reflects concerns about judicial corruption that have existed for centuries.
Historical records show that favoritism in legal systems was a common complaint throughout medieval and early modern periods. Courts often operated under the influence of wealthy patrons, political allies, and social connections. Judges frequently owed their positions to powerful sponsors, making truly impartial decisions difficult. This created widespread public distrust of legal institutions.
The saying likely emerged from ordinary people’s observations of how justice actually worked in their communities. They watched as some criminals escaped punishment through connections while others faced severe penalties for minor offenses. Over time, this bitter wisdom spread through spoken tradition. The proverb eventually appeared in written collections of folk sayings, preserving this cynical but realistic view of human nature in positions of power.
Interesting Facts
The word “favour” comes from Latin “favor,” meaning goodwill or support, but originally implied divine blessing or approval.
This proverb uses parallel structure, placing “hanging” and “favour” as opposites to create dramatic contrast between death and preference.
Similar expressions about corrupt justice appear across many languages, suggesting this concern about favoritism is universal to human societies.
Usage Examples
- Judge to clerk: “The wealthy defendant got probation while the poor one got five years for the same crime – hanging goes by favour.”
- Employee to coworker: “She got promoted despite her mistakes while he was fired for being late once – hanging goes by favour.”
Universal Wisdom
This proverb exposes a fundamental tension between our ideals of justice and the reality of human nature in positions of power.
At its core, this saying addresses our deep need for fairness while acknowledging our equally strong tendency toward tribal loyalty. Humans evolved in small groups where protecting allies meant survival. Those same instincts that once kept our ancestors alive now corrupt our justice systems. When someone gains the power to decide others’ fates, they naturally want to help friends and harm enemies. This creates an eternal struggle between impartial justice and personal relationships.
The proverb also reveals why corruption feels so threatening to social stability. Justice systems exist because humans cannot resolve all conflicts through personal relationships alone. When those systems become corrupted by the very relationships they were meant to replace, society loses its foundation for peaceful cooperation. People stop trusting institutions and start seeking private revenge or protection through their own networks of favor and obligation.
What makes this wisdom timeless is its recognition that good intentions cannot overcome human psychology. We can create laws demanding impartial justice, but we cannot eliminate the human hearts that must enforce those laws. Every generation rediscovers that power holders will favor some people over others, regardless of rules designed to prevent it. This proverb serves as a permanent reminder that vigilance against favoritism requires constant effort, not just good systems.
When AI Hears This
When people face life-or-death choices, their brains switch into survival mode. They stop thinking about fair rules and start mapping relationships instead. Who owes them favors? Who might help them later? These invisible connections suddenly matter more than written laws. The person deciding someone’s fate isn’t just being corrupt. They’re unconsciously calculating which choice protects their own social safety net.
This emergency thinking reveals something fascinating about human nature. We actually run two different decision systems in our minds. One handles everyday choices where being fair feels safe and sustainable. The other kicks in when stakes get deadly serious. Then our ancient survival instincts take over completely. We prioritize keeping allies over following abstract principles. Our brains know that friends protect us better than rules do.
What strikes me most is how perfectly logical this seems. Humans call it corruption, but it’s actually brilliant long-term thinking. The person who saves a friend today gains a loyal protector tomorrow. Meanwhile, the person who follows rules perfectly might end up friendless. When your own survival depends on others, relationship math beats rule math. This isn’t a flaw in human thinking. It’s a feature that kept your species alive.
Lessons for Today
Understanding this proverb helps us navigate a world where fairness and favoritism constantly compete with each other.
On a personal level, this wisdom encourages realistic expectations about institutions and authority figures. Rather than assuming systems will automatically treat everyone fairly, we can prepare for bias and work to minimize its impact. This might mean documenting decisions, seeking multiple opinions, or building our own networks of support. The goal is not cynicism but practical awareness that helps us respond effectively when favoritism appears.
In relationships and group settings, this proverb reminds us to examine our own tendencies toward favoritism. Most people believe they treat others fairly while unconsciously helping friends and hindering rivals. Recognizing this pattern allows us to create better processes for important decisions. We might use anonymous evaluations, rotate leadership roles, or establish clear criteria before making judgments. These approaches acknowledge human nature rather than fighting against it.
At a community level, this ancient wisdom suggests that preventing corruption requires ongoing effort from everyone, not just leaders. Transparent processes, public accountability, and regular rotation of power all help limit the damage that favoritism can cause. The proverb teaches us that perfect justice may be impossible, but we can still work to make unfairness more visible and less acceptable. This requires patience and persistence, since the human tendency toward favoritism will never completely disappear.
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