Benthams’s Claim on Punishment and the Utilitarian Theory of Punishment

Ethics
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Ethics
Jeremy Bentham is an economist and a legal reformer who initiated modern utilitarianism, stipulating that punishments are morally correct if they promote happiness among individuals affected and morally wrong if the actions promote pain. Bentham defines punishment as an artificial consequence imposed by political authorities on offensive action. According to Bentham, punishments are evil since there are no ways that justify them concerning utilitarian ethics. Utilitarian ethics advocate for the sacrifice of a few individuals for the happiness of the majority, but punishments such as capital punishments do not fit in the context (Hanafy, 2021). Capital punishment is executing an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law. Bentham opposed death punishment mainly because he felt it was less effective than life imprisonment, particularly when it involved hard labor (Bedau, n.d.). The death penalty is a discriminatory and cruel punishment often used against vulnerable membe...