HIST 2F20 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Rotten And Pocket Boroughs, Jeremy Bentham, George Canning
Document Summary
Early 19 c, reforming spirit, in terms of religion and government; reflection of this in the abolition movement. Number of important concepts emerging, relating to social welfare, crime and punishment and labour. Moral philosophy that states the greatest good or happiness of the greatest number should be the chief consideration or rule of morality (chief rule of society) Something is valued when it is useful or benefits society. So as to maximize utility : the fact, character, or quality of being useful or serviceable; fitness for some desirable purpose or valuable end; usefulness, serviceableness. Value judgements - morally straightforward answers - those who are not useful are the ones who suffer (poor) therefore there is a catch to utilitarianism. An essay on the principle of population, 1798. Making a point on overpopulation, overpopulation is directly related to human suffering, society has to experience some sort of war rupture or famine, it was necessary and part of the human life cycle.