Jeremy Bentham
Britain, eighteenth–nineteenth centuries
He used the principle of utility to assess laws and institutions by their effects on well-being.
Historical context
Bentham developed his programme in the context of British legal and administrative reform. An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation appeared in 1789.
Overview
Punishment itself causes suffering. Utilitarian legislation must therefore ask what harms it prevents, what costs it imposes, and whether a less burdensome means could achieve the same result.
Main claims
Laws are assessed by their consequences for the welfare of those affected.
Debates and nuances
The interests of those who experience the consequences matter to the assessment.
This entry provides educational context.