Cesare Beccaria
Laws should aim at the greatest happiness shared by the greatest number: no torture, useful and moderate punishments.
Life
Jurist and Enlightenment thinker born in Milan. His short book On Crimes and Punishments, published anonymously in 1764, condemns torture and the death penalty and calls for proportionate punishments set by law. It deeply influenced the reform of criminal law in Europe and America.
Main works
Defends the legality of punishments and rejects torture and the death penalty.
In his own words
« A man cannot be called guilty before the judge's sentence, and society cannot withdraw public protection from him until it is decided that he has violated the pacts by which it was granted. »
Un uomo non può chiamarsi reo prima della sentenza del giudice, nè la società può togliergli la pubblica protezione, se non quando sia deciso ch’egli abbia violati i patti coi quali gli fu accordata.
« It seems absurd to me that the laws, which are the expression of the public will and which detest and punish homicide, commit one themselves, and that to keep citizens from murder they order a public one. »
Parmi un assurdo, che le leggi che sono l’espressione della pubblica volontà, che detestano e puniscono l’omicidio, ne commettano uno esse medesime, e che per allontanare i cittadini dall’assassinio, ne ordinino un pubblico.
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceLaws and punishments are to be judged by the greatest happiness shared by the greatest number.
Beccaria, Dei delitti e delle pene (1764)