Father of Rational Choice: Cesare Baccaria

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Introduction

Cesare Baccaria was born March 15th 1738 in Milan to an affluent family where he was the eldest of 3 siblings, as a child he was described as reserved and timid but proved to be highly intelligent. He studied at a Jesuit school until his graduation in 1754 Where he went on to pursue his interests in law at Pavia university although he also showed interest in economics and public policy reform. During his studies at Pavia Beccaria befriended two fellows who shared one common interest; reforming the rather medieval “criminal justice system” they warmly named the trio “The Acadamy of Fists’’. In 1758 Beccaria graduated with a degree in law and had since become a prolific essayist for his group’s cause. In 1760 against his father’s wishes Cesare married Therese Di Blasco (age 16), shunned by his family they lived in relative poverty for a few years. Influenced greatly by the academy of fists and the writings of Voltaire, Hobbes, Hume and other “Enlightened” writers, Beccaria published a revolutionary essay about legal reform based on rational and utilitarian principles during the inquisition; when torture and public executions where still the mode. At first well received by the enlightened thinkers of Europe, Beccaria’s treaties “On crime and punishment” was chastised by the Vatican and put on the list of Condemned books in 1764.This text will show that Cesare Baccaria’s writings served as the basis for legal reform throughout the western world.

On crime and Punishment (Major work)

Beccarria’s avant grade treaties “On Crime and Punishment’’ published anonymously in 1764, laid out the groundwork for the modern western criminal justice system. His essay touched on many topics such as penology, social reform...

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...ne may conclude that Cesare Beccaria’s work has had a direct and lasting impact on our criminal justice system.Lastly, His principles for the structure of the criminal justice system, legal procedure and sentencing are apparent in the Canadian criminal justice system.

References

Beccaria, C. (1764) Essay on Crimes and Punishments. Translated by H. Paollucci. New York (1985).

Gibbs, J. P. (1968). Crime, punishment and deterrence. Southwestern Social Science Quarterly, 48, 515–530.

Groenewegen, P. (2002). Eighteenth-Century Economics: Turgot, Beccaria and Smith and their

Contemporaries. London: Routledge

Maestro, M. (1973) Cesare Beccaria and the Origins of Penal Reform. Temple University press,

Philidelphia

Monachesi, Elio. (1983) Journal of Criminology & Police science. Pionners in Criminology IX

Cesare Beccaria 11,4 p. 317-326

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