death penalty argument.docxVIP

Death Penalty—A Punishment against CivilizationbyLina ChenforDr. ConleyENG 101-02November 19, 2013OutlineThesis: Death penalty, as the cruelest and toughest punishment, should step down from the stage of history.I. Background on the Situation of Death PenaltyII. Reasons against Death PenaltyInevitable Outcome of Human CivilizationNot a Necessary Measure to Preserve the Power of Ruling ClassNot an Effective Deterrent to Criminalsthe Indulgence of Human Revengeful InstinctIII. The Future of Death PenaltyNearly two hundred years ago,CesareBeccaria, an Italian jurist and philosopher, questioned“whether the punishment of death is really just or useful in a well governed state”in his bookOn Crimes and Punishments, which later ontriggereda significant argument against the punishment(Beccaria 342). From politicians to scholars, from law-executors to civilians, people from various fields were concerned with the issue. They argued about whetherdeath penalty, as the cruelest and toughest punishment, should step down from the stage of history.A satisfactory answer was not given from this long-lasting debate.However, with more and more countries abolishing capital punishment nowadays, it seems much clearer that the inhumane penalty should not exist in the civilized society any more.The abolition of death penalty is the inevitable outcome of human civilization. Looking back to the development of death penalty, readers can realize that as the historical remains from ancient times, death penalty gradually falls into decay. It has a long history in almost every country and experiences a reformed process from abuse to prudence.During the Middle Ages, death penalty was once prevailed in Europe. German jurists Mittermaier and Karl pointed out that “the threat of capital punishment was frequently employed in the German criminal law ConstitutioCriminalis Carolina, published in 1532”(24). Influenced by Enlightenment thoughts and civilized values, German government abolished death penalty