Terence Ball
- Published in print:
- 1994
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198279952
- eISBN:
- 9780191598753
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198279957.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Here, I re‐examine the sources of John Stuart Mill's feminist sympathies. After looking closely at two oft‐touted candidates—Jeremy Bentham and Harriet Taylor Mill—I conclude that neither played the ...
More
Here, I re‐examine the sources of John Stuart Mill's feminist sympathies. After looking closely at two oft‐touted candidates—Jeremy Bentham and Harriet Taylor Mill—I conclude that neither played the role attributed to them by some modern feminists. A third and heretofore unsuspected thinker—namely his own father, James Mill—proves to be a much more plausible and probable source of the younger Mill's feminist views.Less
Here, I re‐examine the sources of John Stuart Mill's feminist sympathies. After looking closely at two oft‐touted candidates—Jeremy Bentham and Harriet Taylor Mill—I conclude that neither played the role attributed to them by some modern feminists. A third and heretofore unsuspected thinker—namely his own father, James Mill—proves to be a much more plausible and probable source of the younger Mill's feminist views.
Mark Weston Janis
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199579341
- eISBN:
- 9780191722653
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199579341.003.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Public International Law, Legal History
English jurist, William Blackstone's Commentaries, published between 1765 and 1769, transmitted the common law's traditional perception of the law of nations to American lawyers who would declare ...
More
English jurist, William Blackstone's Commentaries, published between 1765 and 1769, transmitted the common law's traditional perception of the law of nations to American lawyers who would declare national independence, structure a government, and lead a New Republic. English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, displeased with Blackstone's law of nations, fashioned a new and lasting term international law in 1789, notably also the first year of US Constitutional government, Washington's inaugural term as President, and the French Revolution. Although Americans happily conflate the two terms, they have long struggled to reconcile Blackstone's and Bentham's competing notions about the nature of the discipline, however it be named. This chapter begins with Blackstone's use and understanding of the traditional concept of the law of nations. It moves on to the creation of Bentham's new term, international law, then to Bentham's reconciliation of international law with his views about law in general, contrasting Bentham's perceptions with those of his disciple, John Austin. I0074 presents Bentham's notions about the possible role of international law in a universal and perpetual peace. Finally, the chapter offers an analysis of some of the implications of Bentham's posited and widely accepted equivalence of international law and the law of nations. By understanding the important differences between Blackstone's classical concept of the law of nations and Bentham's influential conception of international law, we put ourselves in a better position to comprehend and appraise some of the conflicts among subsequent American approaches to the discipline. The general aim is to help explain how Americans have gotten to where they are with this discipline.Less
English jurist, William Blackstone's Commentaries, published between 1765 and 1769, transmitted the common law's traditional perception of the law of nations to American lawyers who would declare national independence, structure a government, and lead a New Republic. English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, displeased with Blackstone's law of nations, fashioned a new and lasting term international law in 1789, notably also the first year of US Constitutional government, Washington's inaugural term as President, and the French Revolution. Although Americans happily conflate the two terms, they have long struggled to reconcile Blackstone's and Bentham's competing notions about the nature of the discipline, however it be named. This chapter begins with Blackstone's use and understanding of the traditional concept of the law of nations. It moves on to the creation of Bentham's new term, international law, then to Bentham's reconciliation of international law with his views about law in general, contrasting Bentham's perceptions with those of his disciple, John Austin. I0074 presents Bentham's notions about the possible role of international law in a universal and perpetual peace. Finally, the chapter offers an analysis of some of the implications of Bentham's posited and widely accepted equivalence of international law and the law of nations. By understanding the important differences between Blackstone's classical concept of the law of nations and Bentham's influential conception of international law, we put ourselves in a better position to comprehend and appraise some of the conflicts among subsequent American approaches to the discipline. The general aim is to help explain how Americans have gotten to where they are with this discipline.
William Cornish, Michael Lobban, and Keith Smith
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199258819
- eISBN:
- 9780191718151
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199258819.003.0004
- Subject:
- Law, Legal History
This chapter on theories of law and government begins with a discussion of the thought of Jeremy Bentham. It then discusses John Austin's reformulation of the province of jurisprudence, intuitionists ...
More
This chapter on theories of law and government begins with a discussion of the thought of Jeremy Bentham. It then discusses John Austin's reformulation of the province of jurisprudence, intuitionists and utilitarians, theories of evolution, individualism versus socialism, and late 19th-century jurisprudence.Less
This chapter on theories of law and government begins with a discussion of the thought of Jeremy Bentham. It then discusses John Austin's reformulation of the province of jurisprudence, intuitionists and utilitarians, theories of evolution, individualism versus socialism, and late 19th-century jurisprudence.
Christopher Hood and David Heald (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263839
- eISBN:
- 9780191734915
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263839.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
‘Transparency’ is widely canvassed as a key to better governance, increasing trust in public-office holders. But it is more often preached than practised, more often referred to than defined, and ...
More
‘Transparency’ is widely canvassed as a key to better governance, increasing trust in public-office holders. But it is more often preached than practised, more often referred to than defined, and more often advocated than critically analysed. This book exposes this doctrine to critical scrutiny from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including political science, philosophy, and economics. It traces the history of transparency as a doctrine of good governance and social organization, and identifies its different forms; assesses the benefits and drawbacks of measures to enhance various forms of transparency; and examines how institutions respond to measures intended to increase transparency, and with what consequences. Transparency is shown not to be a new doctrine. It can come into conflict with other doctrines of good governance, and there are some important exceptions to Jeremy Bentham's famous dictum that ‘the more closely we are watched, the better we behave’. Instead of heralding a new culture of openness in government, measures to improve transparency tend to lead to tighter and more centralized management of information.Less
‘Transparency’ is widely canvassed as a key to better governance, increasing trust in public-office holders. But it is more often preached than practised, more often referred to than defined, and more often advocated than critically analysed. This book exposes this doctrine to critical scrutiny from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including political science, philosophy, and economics. It traces the history of transparency as a doctrine of good governance and social organization, and identifies its different forms; assesses the benefits and drawbacks of measures to enhance various forms of transparency; and examines how institutions respond to measures intended to increase transparency, and with what consequences. Transparency is shown not to be a new doctrine. It can come into conflict with other doctrines of good governance, and there are some important exceptions to Jeremy Bentham's famous dictum that ‘the more closely we are watched, the better we behave’. Instead of heralding a new culture of openness in government, measures to improve transparency tend to lead to tighter and more centralized management of information.
James E. Crimmins
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198277415
- eISBN:
- 9780191684173
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198277415.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This introductory chapter begins by setting out the purposes of this book: first, to illustrate the extent, depth, and nature of Bentham's concern with religion — from his Oxford days of first ...
More
This introductory chapter begins by setting out the purposes of this book: first, to illustrate the extent, depth, and nature of Bentham's concern with religion — from his Oxford days of first doubts, to the middle years of quiet unbelief, and, finally, the zealous atheism and secularism of later life when he pondered the vision of a world without religion. Secondly, it provides an interpretation of his utilitarian philosophy in which his religious views are located as an integral concern: on the one hand, intimately associated with the metaphysical, epistemological, and psychological principles which gave shape to his system as a whole and, on the other hand, central to the development of his entirely secular view of society. It then discusses the chronology of Bentham's views on religion and the manner in which they came to be published. An overview of the subsequent chapters is presented.Less
This introductory chapter begins by setting out the purposes of this book: first, to illustrate the extent, depth, and nature of Bentham's concern with religion — from his Oxford days of first doubts, to the middle years of quiet unbelief, and, finally, the zealous atheism and secularism of later life when he pondered the vision of a world without religion. Secondly, it provides an interpretation of his utilitarian philosophy in which his religious views are located as an integral concern: on the one hand, intimately associated with the metaphysical, epistemological, and psychological principles which gave shape to his system as a whole and, on the other hand, central to the development of his entirely secular view of society. It then discusses the chronology of Bentham's views on religion and the manner in which they came to be published. An overview of the subsequent chapters is presented.
Bart Schultz
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691154770
- eISBN:
- 9781400884957
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691154770.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Political Philosophy
This chapter examines Jeremy Bentham's doctrine of utilitarianism and the principle of “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Bentham is known for his radical critique of society, which ...
More
This chapter examines Jeremy Bentham's doctrine of utilitarianism and the principle of “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Bentham is known for his radical critique of society, which aimed to test the usefulness of existing institutions, practices and beliefs against an objective evaluative standard, as well as his advocacy of law reform and his utilitarian justification for democracy. The chapter considers Bentham's views on subjects ranging from happiness and pleasure to social reform, “theory of fictions,” and sex and sexuality. It also discusses some of Bentham's writings, including Analysis of the Influence of Natural Religion on the Temporal Happiness of Mankind (published under the pseudonym Philip Beauchamp), Chrestomathia, Defense of Economy against the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, and An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Finally, the chapter looks at Bentham's proposals for reform of the Poor Laws and his influence on the Poor Law Amendment Act.Less
This chapter examines Jeremy Bentham's doctrine of utilitarianism and the principle of “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Bentham is known for his radical critique of society, which aimed to test the usefulness of existing institutions, practices and beliefs against an objective evaluative standard, as well as his advocacy of law reform and his utilitarian justification for democracy. The chapter considers Bentham's views on subjects ranging from happiness and pleasure to social reform, “theory of fictions,” and sex and sexuality. It also discusses some of Bentham's writings, including Analysis of the Influence of Natural Religion on the Temporal Happiness of Mankind (published under the pseudonym Philip Beauchamp), Chrestomathia, Defense of Economy against the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, and An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Finally, the chapter looks at Bentham's proposals for reform of the Poor Laws and his influence on the Poor Law Amendment Act.
James E. Crimmins
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198277415
- eISBN:
- 9780191684173
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198277415.003.0013
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter addresses the question of how we are to understand Bentham's critique of religion. The answer is that it only makes sense when viewed against the larger canvas of his aspiration to make ...
More
This chapter addresses the question of how we are to understand Bentham's critique of religion. The answer is that it only makes sense when viewed against the larger canvas of his aspiration to make his secular social science serve the needs of the Utilitarian society of the future. Taken together, Bentham's views on religion constitute a substantial part of the negative side of his plans for the construction of an entirely secular and rigorously Utilitarian society.Less
This chapter addresses the question of how we are to understand Bentham's critique of religion. The answer is that it only makes sense when viewed against the larger canvas of his aspiration to make his secular social science serve the needs of the Utilitarian society of the future. Taken together, Bentham's views on religion constitute a substantial part of the negative side of his plans for the construction of an entirely secular and rigorously Utilitarian society.
James E. Crimmins
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198277415
- eISBN:
- 9780191684173
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198277415.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Jeremy Bentham was an ardent secularist convinced that society could be sustained without the support of religious institutions or beliefs. This is writ large in the commonly neglected books on ...
More
Jeremy Bentham was an ardent secularist convinced that society could be sustained without the support of religious institutions or beliefs. This is writ large in the commonly neglected books on religion he wrote and published during the last twenty-five years of his life. However his earliest writings on the subject date from the 1770s, when as a young man he first embarked on his calling as a legal theorist and social reformer. From that time on, religion was never far from the centre of his thoughts. This book illustrates the nature, extent, and depth of Jeremy Bentham's concern with religion, from his Oxford days of first doubts to the middle years of quiet unbelief, and finally, the zealous atheism and secularism of his later life. This book provides an interpretation of Bentham's thought in which his religious views, hitherto of little interest to Bentham scholars, are shown to be integral: on the one hand intimately associated with the metaphysical, epistemological, and psychological principles which gave shape to his system as a whole, and on the other central to the development of his entirely secular view of society.Less
Jeremy Bentham was an ardent secularist convinced that society could be sustained without the support of religious institutions or beliefs. This is writ large in the commonly neglected books on religion he wrote and published during the last twenty-five years of his life. However his earliest writings on the subject date from the 1770s, when as a young man he first embarked on his calling as a legal theorist and social reformer. From that time on, religion was never far from the centre of his thoughts. This book illustrates the nature, extent, and depth of Jeremy Bentham's concern with religion, from his Oxford days of first doubts to the middle years of quiet unbelief, and finally, the zealous atheism and secularism of his later life. This book provides an interpretation of Bentham's thought in which his religious views, hitherto of little interest to Bentham scholars, are shown to be integral: on the one hand intimately associated with the metaphysical, epistemological, and psychological principles which gave shape to his system as a whole, and on the other central to the development of his entirely secular view of society.
Terence Ball
- Published in print:
- 1994
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198279952
- eISBN:
- 9780191598753
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198279957.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
In this chapter, I show how James Mill reworks and recycles the argument of a classic text—viz. Plato's Republic—and uses Plato's theory of justice and just punishment to legitimize Bentham's plans ...
More
In this chapter, I show how James Mill reworks and recycles the argument of a classic text—viz. Plato's Republic—and uses Plato's theory of justice and just punishment to legitimize Bentham's plans for penal reform. Pace Michel Foucault, who views Bentham as the thoroughly modern doyen of the `surveillance society’, I argue that much modern political theory has classical roots and that we should therefore be wary of post‐modern genealogists’ claims about discursive continuities between discrete epistemes or systems of thought.Less
In this chapter, I show how James Mill reworks and recycles the argument of a classic text—viz. Plato's Republic—and uses Plato's theory of justice and just punishment to legitimize Bentham's plans for penal reform. Pace Michel Foucault, who views Bentham as the thoroughly modern doyen of the `surveillance society’, I argue that much modern political theory has classical roots and that we should therefore be wary of post‐modern genealogists’ claims about discursive continuities between discrete epistemes or systems of thought.
F. Rosen
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198200789
- eISBN:
- 9780191674778
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198200789.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, History of Ideas
This book is a study of British political ideas in the early 19th century. It deals specifically with the British involvement in the struggle for Greek independence roughly between 1821 and 1827. The ...
More
This book is a study of British political ideas in the early 19th century. It deals specifically with the British involvement in the struggle for Greek independence roughly between 1821 and 1827. The ideas are examined, such as the evolution of constitutional thought from Montesquieu, the emergence of liberalism as a political ideology against a background of Whig and radical political ideas, and the response in Britain to movements towards national independence in the Mediterranean basin. Some of the characters that appear here, like Jeremy Bentham and Lord Byron, will be familiar, though they will not be presented in familiar ways. Others, like Edward Blaquiere and Leicester Stanhope, will be virtually unknown, and their importance to this study will surprise some readers. Still other members of the dramatis personae, like John Bowring, Joseph Hume, and John Cam Hobhouse, will be well known to historians of 19th-century for reform movements.Less
This book is a study of British political ideas in the early 19th century. It deals specifically with the British involvement in the struggle for Greek independence roughly between 1821 and 1827. The ideas are examined, such as the evolution of constitutional thought from Montesquieu, the emergence of liberalism as a political ideology against a background of Whig and radical political ideas, and the response in Britain to movements towards national independence in the Mediterranean basin. Some of the characters that appear here, like Jeremy Bentham and Lord Byron, will be familiar, though they will not be presented in familiar ways. Others, like Edward Blaquiere and Leicester Stanhope, will be virtually unknown, and their importance to this study will surprise some readers. Still other members of the dramatis personae, like John Bowring, Joseph Hume, and John Cam Hobhouse, will be well known to historians of 19th-century for reform movements.
F. Rosen
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198200789
- eISBN:
- 9780191674778
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198200789.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, History of Ideas
This chapter considers three major themes of the ‘Observations’: Jeremy Bentham's thesis that the acceptance of popular sovereignty should lead to a transformation of the theory and practice of ...
More
This chapter considers three major themes of the ‘Observations’: Jeremy Bentham's thesis that the acceptance of popular sovereignty should lead to a transformation of the theory and practice of constitutional government; his use of the greatest happiness principle to resolve problems arising from the exclusion of the Turkish community from citizenship; and his novel and important contribution to constitutional theory in the doctrine of ‘latent negatives’. The chapter also explores the relationship between the ‘Observations’ and Bentham's better-known work on constitutional government, the Constitutional Code. Finally, it discusses the allegation that the constitution of Epidaurus was a mere ‘façade’ created by Greece to impress Europeans as to the capacity of the Greeks to operate a Western, centralised government. This allegation raises not only the question of the point of Bentham's commentary but also the general issue of the relationship of constitutional theory to practice.Less
This chapter considers three major themes of the ‘Observations’: Jeremy Bentham's thesis that the acceptance of popular sovereignty should lead to a transformation of the theory and practice of constitutional government; his use of the greatest happiness principle to resolve problems arising from the exclusion of the Turkish community from citizenship; and his novel and important contribution to constitutional theory in the doctrine of ‘latent negatives’. The chapter also explores the relationship between the ‘Observations’ and Bentham's better-known work on constitutional government, the Constitutional Code. Finally, it discusses the allegation that the constitution of Epidaurus was a mere ‘façade’ created by Greece to impress Europeans as to the capacity of the Greeks to operate a Western, centralised government. This allegation raises not only the question of the point of Bentham's commentary but also the general issue of the relationship of constitutional theory to practice.
David Lieberman
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- September 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781474449229
- eISBN:
- 9781474460200
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474449229.003.0013
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Political Philosophy
Critics who were sceptical of the particular fusion of law and history in natural jurisprudence launched their assaults in the later eighteenth-century from within established religious ...
More
Critics who were sceptical of the particular fusion of law and history in natural jurisprudence launched their assaults in the later eighteenth-century from within established religious denominations, or asserted the view that the anticipated reforms would fail, being insufficiently grounded on an accurate portrayal of human nature. The latter approach has been especially associated with Jeremy Bentham, who for many scholars has become the most prominent opponent of rights-based theories. This chapter reconsiders this view, charting Bentham’s view of natural rights from his earliest writings to the summary Constitutional codes developed for post-Napoleonic Europe. The Bentham who emerges, rather than being a consistent enemy of the kinds of declarations of rights that marked the American and French Revolutions, was instead building upon much of the jurisprudence he condemned in his rhetoric. The chapter revises the commonplace view of Bentham and his intellectual origins in consequence.Less
Critics who were sceptical of the particular fusion of law and history in natural jurisprudence launched their assaults in the later eighteenth-century from within established religious denominations, or asserted the view that the anticipated reforms would fail, being insufficiently grounded on an accurate portrayal of human nature. The latter approach has been especially associated with Jeremy Bentham, who for many scholars has become the most prominent opponent of rights-based theories. This chapter reconsiders this view, charting Bentham’s view of natural rights from his earliest writings to the summary Constitutional codes developed for post-Napoleonic Europe. The Bentham who emerges, rather than being a consistent enemy of the kinds of declarations of rights that marked the American and French Revolutions, was instead building upon much of the jurisprudence he condemned in his rhetoric. The chapter revises the commonplace view of Bentham and his intellectual origins in consequence.
Javed Majeed
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198117865
- eISBN:
- 9780191671098
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198117865.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, 18th-century Literature, 19th-century and Victorian Literature
Between 1797 and 1818, petitions to British parliament favouring extended or universal male suffrage were rejected either because they were printed or because of the language in which they were ...
More
Between 1797 and 1818, petitions to British parliament favouring extended or universal male suffrage were rejected either because they were printed or because of the language in which they were written. Trials for sedition, discussions in parliament, comments in newspapers, and responses to petitions relied on the notion of vulgarity to argue against the concept of extended or universal male suffrage. One of Jeremy Bentham's favourite targets for attack was the legal fictions of common law, whereas James Mill's target in the The History of British India was the fiction of the economic and cultural riches of India. Mill often condemned European travellers in India and East India Company officials for exaggerating India's wealth. But Mill's attack on the fiction of Indian wealth was rooted in a definite economic doctrine. He took a strict economic view of imperialism in India. Mill demonstrated that India was of no economic benefit to Britain, and also pointed out the inconveniences of government at a distance as well as the corrupt patronage involved in governing colonies.Less
Between 1797 and 1818, petitions to British parliament favouring extended or universal male suffrage were rejected either because they were printed or because of the language in which they were written. Trials for sedition, discussions in parliament, comments in newspapers, and responses to petitions relied on the notion of vulgarity to argue against the concept of extended or universal male suffrage. One of Jeremy Bentham's favourite targets for attack was the legal fictions of common law, whereas James Mill's target in the The History of British India was the fiction of the economic and cultural riches of India. Mill often condemned European travellers in India and East India Company officials for exaggerating India's wealth. But Mill's attack on the fiction of Indian wealth was rooted in a definite economic doctrine. He took a strict economic view of imperialism in India. Mill demonstrated that India was of no economic benefit to Britain, and also pointed out the inconveniences of government at a distance as well as the corrupt patronage involved in governing colonies.
Peter Otto
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199567676
- eISBN:
- 9780191725364
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199567676.003.0003
- Subject:
- Literature, 19th-century Literature and Romanticism, Film, Media, and Cultural Studies
Bentham's proposals for penal reform were published in Panopticon; or, The Inspection House (written in 1786) and its two Postscripts (1790, 1791). Focusing on these works, and diverging from ...
More
Bentham's proposals for penal reform were published in Panopticon; or, The Inspection House (written in 1786) and its two Postscripts (1790, 1791). Focusing on these works, and diverging from accounts of the Panopticon that draw heavily on Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish, this chapter argues that the optical environment of the panopticon (including the fictitious entities, recording devices, and communication systems that play a role within it) constructs a virtual reality that, by eclipsing the ‘real’ and re-contextualizing the prisoner's actions, provides a new way of shaping behaviour. It concludes with a discussion of later stages of Bentham's panopticon idea, evident in his unpublished plans for a theme park, to be called Panopticon Hill, which placed the Panopticon Penitentiary alongside: a Panopticon Tavern, complete with optical entertainments; a ‘Sotimion or establishment for the preservation of female delicacy’; and a Nothotrophium or asylum for the innocent offspring of clandestine love.Less
Bentham's proposals for penal reform were published in Panopticon; or, The Inspection House (written in 1786) and its two Postscripts (1790, 1791). Focusing on these works, and diverging from accounts of the Panopticon that draw heavily on Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish, this chapter argues that the optical environment of the panopticon (including the fictitious entities, recording devices, and communication systems that play a role within it) constructs a virtual reality that, by eclipsing the ‘real’ and re-contextualizing the prisoner's actions, provides a new way of shaping behaviour. It concludes with a discussion of later stages of Bentham's panopticon idea, evident in his unpublished plans for a theme park, to be called Panopticon Hill, which placed the Panopticon Penitentiary alongside: a Panopticon Tavern, complete with optical entertainments; a ‘Sotimion or establishment for the preservation of female delicacy’; and a Nothotrophium or asylum for the innocent offspring of clandestine love.
Janet Semple
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198273875
- eISBN:
- 9780191684074
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273875.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This introductory chapter discusses the coverage of the book, which focuses on English philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham's failed attempt to build a prison called panopticon. It examines ...
More
This introductory chapter discusses the coverage of the book, which focuses on English philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham's failed attempt to build a prison called panopticon. It examines unexplored manuscripts that tell the story of Bentham's prolonged negotiations with the government and why the panopticon was never built. The book deals with the panopticon as an event in penal and political history. It also analyses some of the criticism of Bentham's obsession with building the panopticon and being involved in its day-to-day operations as an administrator.Less
This introductory chapter discusses the coverage of the book, which focuses on English philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham's failed attempt to build a prison called panopticon. It examines unexplored manuscripts that tell the story of Bentham's prolonged negotiations with the government and why the panopticon was never built. The book deals with the panopticon as an event in penal and political history. It also analyses some of the criticism of Bentham's obsession with building the panopticon and being involved in its day-to-day operations as an administrator.
Janet Semple
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198273875
- eISBN:
- 9780191684074
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273875.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter discusses the family and personal background of Jeremy Bentham and the origins of the panopticon. Bentham was born in London, England in 1748 and was the eldest son of Alicia and ...
More
This chapter discusses the family and personal background of Jeremy Bentham and the origins of the panopticon. Bentham was born in London, England in 1748 and was the eldest son of Alicia and Jeremiah. His five brothers and sisters died in early childhood and only Samuel survived. When his mother died, his father married a widow whose own son Charles Abbot would play an important role in the story of the panopticon. In 1776, he wrote a successful book titled A Fragment on Government and during this time Bentham was always engaged in ambitious and wide-ranging speculations on the foundations of government and punishment. In 1830 The Rationale of Punishment was published, which explains his motivation for building the panopticon. Safeguarding the interests of the criminal was the main preoccupation of Bentham's panopticon scheme.Less
This chapter discusses the family and personal background of Jeremy Bentham and the origins of the panopticon. Bentham was born in London, England in 1748 and was the eldest son of Alicia and Jeremiah. His five brothers and sisters died in early childhood and only Samuel survived. When his mother died, his father married a widow whose own son Charles Abbot would play an important role in the story of the panopticon. In 1776, he wrote a successful book titled A Fragment on Government and during this time Bentham was always engaged in ambitious and wide-ranging speculations on the foundations of government and punishment. In 1830 The Rationale of Punishment was published, which explains his motivation for building the panopticon. Safeguarding the interests of the criminal was the main preoccupation of Bentham's panopticon scheme.
Janet Semple
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198273875
- eISBN:
- 9780191684074
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273875.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter examines the issues related to the Panopticon Bill of 1794. Jeremy Bentham spent five months—from October 1793 to February 1794—drafting the Panopticon Bill. There were three possible ...
More
This chapter examines the issues related to the Panopticon Bill of 1794. Jeremy Bentham spent five months—from October 1793 to February 1794—drafting the Panopticon Bill. There were three possible panopticon statutes that existed in the spring of 1794, which includes the draft act that was eventually enacted and Bentham's own two bills. The original panopticon bill and Bentham's commentaries on it provide valuable information about Bentham's ideas on bureaucracy and an extraordinary prescient discussion on the problems of the administration of welfare. The chapter suggests that Bentham's principles and his practice in the panopticon bill appear irreconcilable, and that his long hidden draft legislation adds another problem to the question about the place of the panopticon in his thought.Less
This chapter examines the issues related to the Panopticon Bill of 1794. Jeremy Bentham spent five months—from October 1793 to February 1794—drafting the Panopticon Bill. There were three possible panopticon statutes that existed in the spring of 1794, which includes the draft act that was eventually enacted and Bentham's own two bills. The original panopticon bill and Bentham's commentaries on it provide valuable information about Bentham's ideas on bureaucracy and an extraordinary prescient discussion on the problems of the administration of welfare. The chapter suggests that Bentham's principles and his practice in the panopticon bill appear irreconcilable, and that his long hidden draft legislation adds another problem to the question about the place of the panopticon in his thought.
Javed Majeed
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198117865
- eISBN:
- 9780191671098
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198117865.003.0005
- Subject:
- Literature, 18th-century Literature, 19th-century and Victorian Literature
The History of British India's main fame rests on its transformation of utilitarianism into what one scholar has described as a ‘militant faith’. This chapter explores the role ...
More
The History of British India's main fame rests on its transformation of utilitarianism into what one scholar has described as a ‘militant faith’. This chapter explores the role played by British India in James Mill's thinking, a role whose complexity has been neglected by scholars who view the History as simply an attempt to apply a version of utilitarianism to British India. It is important to make clear from the outset that both Jeremy Bentham's and Mill's opposition to colonization was not as relevant to British India as at first it might appear, except in so far as Mill was in agreement with East India Company policy of actively hindering the settlement of non-official Europeans in British India. A distinction between British India and other colonies was implicit in Bentham's and Mill's writings on colonies. The main purpose of Mill's article was to consider whether emigration and colonization were effective means of solving the problems resulting from overpopulation.Less
The History of British India's main fame rests on its transformation of utilitarianism into what one scholar has described as a ‘militant faith’. This chapter explores the role played by British India in James Mill's thinking, a role whose complexity has been neglected by scholars who view the History as simply an attempt to apply a version of utilitarianism to British India. It is important to make clear from the outset that both Jeremy Bentham's and Mill's opposition to colonization was not as relevant to British India as at first it might appear, except in so far as Mill was in agreement with East India Company policy of actively hindering the settlement of non-official Europeans in British India. A distinction between British India and other colonies was implicit in Bentham's and Mill's writings on colonies. The main purpose of Mill's article was to consider whether emigration and colonization were effective means of solving the problems resulting from overpopulation.
Janet Semple
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198273875
- eISBN:
- 9780191684074
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273875.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter discusses the first phase of Jeremy Bentham's attempts to build the panopticon. The political arena in which Bentham fought for his panopticon was dominated by Prime Minister William ...
More
This chapter discusses the first phase of Jeremy Bentham's attempts to build the panopticon. The political arena in which Bentham fought for his panopticon was dominated by Prime Minister William Pitt and his allies, which included Henry Dundas, Evan Nepean, and George Rose. In December 1786, Bentham first sent his panopticon ‘Letters’ to London but failed to receive a positive response. He was then able to send it again to the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer in August 1790 with the help of Lord Landsdowne. The start of Bentham's campaign for the panopticon started in the summer of 1793 when Pitt indicated his approval and asked Bentham to go ahead with his arrangements.Less
This chapter discusses the first phase of Jeremy Bentham's attempts to build the panopticon. The political arena in which Bentham fought for his panopticon was dominated by Prime Minister William Pitt and his allies, which included Henry Dundas, Evan Nepean, and George Rose. In December 1786, Bentham first sent his panopticon ‘Letters’ to London but failed to receive a positive response. He was then able to send it again to the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer in August 1790 with the help of Lord Landsdowne. The start of Bentham's campaign for the panopticon started in the summer of 1793 when Pitt indicated his approval and asked Bentham to go ahead with his arrangements.
Janet Semple
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198273875
- eISBN:
- 9780191684074
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273875.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter discusses the challenges faced by Jeremy Bentham in acquiring the Salisbury estate in Millbank, England, for his panopticon prison project. The Treasury was very difficult in the ...
More
This chapter discusses the challenges faced by Jeremy Bentham in acquiring the Salisbury estate in Millbank, England, for his panopticon prison project. The Treasury was very difficult in the negotiating process and when the land was purchased in November 1799, it lay idle. When Prime Minister resigned fifteen months later no final decision on the panopticon had yet been taken and Bentham had to wait for another two years just to be told by Henry Addington's administration that they were unwilling to find the necessary funds for the project. To show his contempt and objections, Bentham wrote Picture of the Treasury, to which the Parliament turned a deaf ear.Less
This chapter discusses the challenges faced by Jeremy Bentham in acquiring the Salisbury estate in Millbank, England, for his panopticon prison project. The Treasury was very difficult in the negotiating process and when the land was purchased in November 1799, it lay idle. When Prime Minister resigned fifteen months later no final decision on the panopticon had yet been taken and Bentham had to wait for another two years just to be told by Henry Addington's administration that they were unwilling to find the necessary funds for the project. To show his contempt and objections, Bentham wrote Picture of the Treasury, to which the Parliament turned a deaf ear.
