C ESARE B ECCARIA “The Greatest Happiness of the Greatest Number” On Crimes and Punishments

C ESARE B ECCARIA Who is he? Son of Milanese aristocrat Educated at a Jesuit “fanatical” and stifling to “the development of human feelings” Published his work on criminal law in 1764, at age 26 esare_beccaria.jpg

“T HE G REATEST H APPINESS OF THE G REATEST N UMBER ” Torture of prisoners in order to induce confession Corruption of judges Degrading and brutal punishment First writer to advocate the complete abolition of capital punishment

T ORTURING PRISONERS FOR A CONFESSION “ No man can be judged a criminal until he be found guilty.” Crimes are more effectually prevented by the certainty than by the severity of the punishment

S OCIETY & C RIME It is better to prevent crimes than to punish them. Beccaria says that laws should not have twists; they could be clear, simple, and precise. Let men be afraid of the law, not the punishment for breaking it.

“I S IT NOT ABSURD, THAT THE LAWS, WHICH DETEST AND PUNISH HOMICIDE, SHOULD, IN ORDER TO PREVENT MURDER, PUBLICLY COMMIT MURDER THEMSELVES ?” Today, many people make this same argument Our modern concerns over capital punishment Does it prevent crime? Is it morally right? Cesare Beccaria had similar concerns