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Primary sourceBook1894 edition

Theory of Legislation

Jeremy Bentham · 1894 edition

An 1894 edition of Bentham's work on law and utilitarian principles, exploring how good laws could reduce the harm caused by offences.

This later edition presents Bentham's own theories on law and legislation, central to his philosophical legacy.

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Source: Internet Archive

About this source

What it is

This is a book by Jeremy Bentham titled Theory of Legislation, in an 1894 printed edition. It deals with the philosophy of law, including civil and criminal law, built on utilitarian principles.

Why it matters

The text argues that good laws could reduce almost all offences to matters that could be repaired through compensation, reflecting Bentham's broader utilitarian project of designing laws to maximise overall good. It shows his ambition to turn law into a rational, almost scientific system.

Look closer

  • What does Bentham mean by reducing offences to something repaired by 'pecuniary compensation'?
  • Why does the text address 'statesmen' directly?
  • How does this reflect Bentham's utilitarian belief in calculating costs and benefits?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Jeremy Bentham on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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