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Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University
Jyoti, Lovely Professional University
Unit 9: Jeremy Bentham

Unit 9: Jeremy Bentham Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
9.1 Life Sketch
9.2 Meaning of Utilitarianism
9.3 The Modern State
9.4 Economic Ideas
9.5 Notion of Liberty, Rights and Law
9.6 Women and Gender Equality
9.7 As a Humanist
9.8 Summary
9.9 Key-Words
9.10 Review Questions
9.11 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit students will be able to:
• know about Jeremy Bentham
• Understand meaning of utilitarian
• Discuss theory of state
• Explain economic ideas of Bentham
• Describe the women and Gender equality

Introduction

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), the founder of Utilitarianism, combined throughout his active life the
careers of a philosopher, a jurist and that of a social reformer and an activist. Though trained to be a
lawyer, he gave up the practice of law in order to examine the basis of law and pursue legal reforms.
His utilitarian philosophy based on the principle of the “greatest happiness of the greatest number”
was aimed “at rearing the fabric of felicity by the hands of reason and law”. He championed reforms
of prison, legislation and parliament, and stressed the need for a new penal code for England. It was
for these reasons that he has been regarded by J.S. Mill as a “progressive philosopher”, “the great
benefactor of mankind”, “an enemy of the status quo and the greatest questioner of things established”.

Goethe described Bentham as “frightfully radical ass.”

Bentham had his share of critics as well. Keynes characterized his ideas as the worm which had
been gnawing at the insides of modern civilization responsible for its present moral decay. Oakeshott
regarded him as a reformer of law and the first significant English writer, but uncharitably dismissed
his influence as a thinker. Emerson characterized his philosophy as “stinking”. Schumpeter

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