Because problems concerning punishment arise at many intellectual levels, there is no one question or set of questions about punishment to be answered. I propose to address what I take to be some of the issues about punishment which are crucial for moral and social philosophy. I shall consider in turn the questions: What is the moral basis for punishment?; By whom is punishment justifiably imposed?; and, What kinds and degrees of punishment are justifiable? I shall then consider briefly what the principles reached mean both for ideal institutions and for the evaluation of our own current conditions.
A Rationale for Punishment
![The Journal of Libertarian Studies](https://cdn.mises.org/styles/responsive_4_3_650w/s3/static-page/img/jls_750x517_20230818_4.jpg.webp?itok=vxxtyv15 650w,https://cdn.mises.org/styles/responsive_4_3_870w/s3/static-page/img/jls_750x517_20230818_4.jpg.webp?itok=p-ULv9M7 870w,https://cdn.mises.org/styles/responsive_4_3_1090w/s3/static-page/img/jls_750x517_20230818_4.jpg.webp?itok=O1ijgKVd 1090w,https://cdn.mises.org/styles/responsive_4_3_1310w/s3/static-page/img/jls_750x517_20230818_4.jpg.webp?itok=PpCD2kdg 1310w,https://cdn.mises.org/styles/responsive_4_3_1530w/s3/static-page/img/jls_750x517_20230818_4.jpg.webp?itok=wvZo7bPH 1530w)
Downloads
CITE THIS ARTICLE
King, J. Charles. “Rationale for Punishment, A.” Journal of Libertarian Studies 4, No.2 (1980): 151-165.
All Rights Reserved ©