Page 176 - DPOL201_WESTERN_POLITICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Western Political Thought

Notes language. He also outlined the principles of universal grammar. He coined new words like
international, codify, maximize, minimize, rationale, demoralize, deontology, eulogistic and false
consciousness. In spite of his dislike for Aristotle, he emphasized, like the ancient master, that
mastery of language and the ability to use the right word were essential to serious thinking.
Bentham also suggested “Dialogues with the Dead” for their educational and theatrical value. He
prepared snippets of conversations that could take place between Socrates and himself on the
subject of happiness; with Bacon on the philosophical developments of the past 2000 years; with
Jean le Rond d’Alembert (1717-1783) on the Encyclopaedical Tree; with Etienne Dumont and
Montesquieu on the law as it ought to be; with Locke on the fiction of the original social contract;
with Porphyny, Locke and Bishop Sanderson on logic; and with Euclid, Appollonius, Diophantus,
Newton and La Place on mathematics. He suggested that people should go to pilgrimages to the
shrines of dead philosophers as opposed to pilgrimages to the shrines of saints and martyrs. He
wanted religion, like political and legal institutions, to serve the public and promote Utilitarian
ideals”.
In his Plan for an Universal and Perpetual Peace, Bentham considered war as the chief cause of
suffering and proposed two planks for its elimination,: that of reducing military forces in Europe
and to emancipate colonies. For the welfare of all civilized nations he suggested three goals—
simplicity of government, national frugality and peace. He opposed international treatises and
trade barriers and pointed out that trade was always advantageous to both parties but war,
ruinous to all the participants in modern times. He desired the establishment of a common court
of judicature to decide differences among states but did not want, unlike St. Pierre and Rousseau,
the court to be armed with coercive powers. Establishing a judicial court was in the interest of all.
Bentham recommended a congress of deputies from each country whose proceedings would be
made public. He distrusted secret diplomacy, had enornmous faith in the efficacy of public opinion
and was more optimistic than Kant, about achieving lasting world peace and happiness if people
are allowed personal contact with one another than through the abrasive relations between
governments thus anticipating the contemporary thrust on people to people diplomacy as the
basis of building amity and peace. The cybernetic school of integration led by Karl Deutsch after
the Second World War made it the most important plank for achieving regional integration and
thereby peace.Bentham’s plan is quite sketchy and obviously not comprehensive. However, he
demonstrates the usefulness of disarmament and warns about the dangers of colonialism and
secrecy. Though he alludes to the power of public opinion in international affairs he was also
conscious as to how it could be stifled. He also coins the word ‘international’. “The basic Benthamite
idea has persisted to this day that the ordinary citizen can have a vision of a more peaceful, just
and happy world and has both the right and power to coerce his own government to policies
consonant with this ideal” (Heater 1990: 55-56).
Self-Assessment
Choose the correct option:
1. English translations of Beccaria’s Essays on crimes and punishment published in
(i) 1764 (ii) 1765 (iii) 1785 (iv) 1763
2. In which year Bentham acknowledged with a sensation of Archimedes the full import of
Priestly’s Phrase as being a possible foundations of morals and legislations
(i) 1776 (ii) 1770 (iii) 1775 (iv) 1771
3. An attack on the established church came in Church of Englandism in
(i) 1817 (ii) 1819 (iii) 1818 (iv) 1816
4. Bentham started and financed the Westminster in .......... .
(i) 1823 (ii) 1820 (iii) 1822 (iv) 1824

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