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What reforms did Cesare Beccaria argue for in On Crimes and Punishments?
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Italian literature
Portrait of Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
In his influential work Dei delitti e delle pene (1764), Cesare Beccaria advocated for significant reforms to the criminal justice system based on the utilitarian principle of seeking the greatest good for the greatest number.1
He argued against the "barbaric" practices of his era, specifically calling for:
- The abolition of torture: He condemned the use of secret proceedings and physical abuse in legal investigations.12
- The abolition of capital punishment: Beccaria was the first modern writer to advocate for the complete removal of the death penalty.12
- Proportionality and certainty: He argued that penalties should be scaled to the severity of the offense and that the effectiveness of justice relies more on the certainty of punishment than on its severity.1
- Ending arbitrary power: He criticized the corruption and caprice of magistrates, asserting that any punishment exceeding what is necessary for security and order constitutes tyranny.1