more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
There is no wicked man who could not be made good for something. One has the right to put to death, even as an example, only someone who cannot be preserved without danger.
Gist of Idea
Only people who are actually dangerous should be executed, even as an example
Source
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], II.05)
Book Ref
Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.160
A Reaction
This formulation implies that we could execute a dangerous person as a deterrent, even though they were not guilty of this particular crime. I suspect that Rousseau was too nice to go through with that.
1743 | The greatest deterrence for injustice is if uninjured parties feel as much indignation as those who are injured [Solon, by Diog. Laertius] |
2640 | We have the death penalty, but still have thousands of robbers [Cicero] |
6833 | Punish theft in men or women by cutting off their hands [Mohammed] |
19811 | Only people who are actually dangerous should be executed, even as an example [Rousseau] |