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measures for augmenting the
The knowledge that men have of the Law
is to be in two ways depends upon the measures that shall be taken: first by first for conveying
it to their [organs, their] ears or
eyes: for fitting it to their conceptions.
The latter is effected by mens the intrinsic arrangement
of the Laws themselves: the
former by a set of extrinsic provisions measures
to be taken expedients to be put in practice made for the dispensing them.
Do men possess the Laws to this degree? that is
necessary for] no — they do not — why then
do they not? what hinders them?
Do men possess the Laws to that degree not
as necessary;with respect to the State and to themselves: on the public account & on their own? for to the State's having that is necessary ofall the
benefit good of their obedience, as far as the adequate
motives that are presented for their obedience are calculated to
and to their ensure it: to themselves, so as to exempt them
from the evil as from the of it's execution.
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Means, might I suppose be found, of
doubling the sum of the obedience that is
now paid to the Laws: and this without adding by that
to the expences that is to the quantity
of motives to obedience observance: the quantity of their rewards &
punishments: and by that means of
the natural felicity that results from
it.
The way to double the sum of the obedience that is
paid to the Laws, is to double the knowledge
that men have of them. This is
what may, I suppose, be done.
The effect of a body of Laws is to be calculated,
not from the quantity of what is
extant but from the quantity of what
is known.
The ignorance of the functional parts of
a body number of Laws, destroys disappoints the effect of a
proportion among their punishments; because
if a man does not know what is the punishment
for any crime offence, he does not know how
much the punishment for that offence, exceeds
or falls short of those of another.
In respect of many offences, in the chief part both
in number and importance of those that disturb
society, this degree of ignorance is all
that they men can lie under — and under this
in a great degree they do lie.</p>
No body can be ignorant that Theft and
Robbery and Murder for example wilful killing and among a number of
others that might be mentioned, are acts
prohibited: because he hears perpetually of they are so
being punished for them: & because mischievous to society, than none can doubt from
cases alone but that measures are
it none detected & consequently/
to punish them; 2dly because nobody can
,
have on a society, without hearing many and
thus of their being actually punished.
PROMULG. i. x. Composition —- 2 Effect as the Notoriety
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of laws in general |
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promulg. & composition - effect as the notoriety |
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jeremy bentham |
[[watermarks::gr [crown motif] [britannia with shield motif]]] |
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