Sociology 2266A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Totalitarianism, The Roots, Age Of Enlightenment
11 Oct 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Emerged in response to the harsh, retributive nature of punishments inflicted on criminals in. Justice often amounted to little more than private vengeance, and punishments often resembled ritualistic torture. Even some minor crimes were subject to the death penalty, often by burning at the stake. The renaissance brought the spread of more rational, scientific and humanistic ways of thinking. By the 18th century, traditional doctrines of absolute obedience to authority were increasingly challenged: caused political revolution in america (1775-83) and france (1789) One of the leading figures in this ideological shift was cesare beccaria. Argued that most potential offenders would be deterred if three basic conditions were met: certainty of punishment, swiftness of justice, fair penalties proportionate to the severity of the social harm done. To this day, many justice systems struggle to ensure thjat these esstential condition are met. Beccaria"s doctrine is characterized by four general principles: equality.
