Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832)

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of the History of Economic Thought

Part of the book series: The European Heritage in Economics and the Social Sciences ((EHES,volume 11))

  • 3711 Accesses

Abstract

The English moral philosopher, jurist, social reformer, political economist, and founding father of modern utilitarianism, Jeremy Bentham, casts a long shadow over the development of modern jurisprudence and the social sciences. Both defenders and critics of legal primitivism, public administration, and modern welfare economics credit Bentham’s influence in the development of these fields of inquiry.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Kelly 1987 p. 156.

  2. 2.

    The main authority for Bentham’s life is Bowring’s 1838–1843 account in the two last volumes of the “Works”. See also Stephen 1900 [1968] vol. I, Chap. V; Atkinson 1905[1969]. See also the interesting articles by Kelly 1987 pp. 156–161. Mack IESS, vol. I, pp. 55–58. Pins 2006.

  3. 3.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 38.

  4. 4.

    Bowring, vol. VIII, pp. 113, 217.

  5. 5.

    Stephen 1900[1968], vol. I, p. 173.

  6. 6.

    Burns and Hart 1977 p. xix.

  7. 7.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, pp. 87–88, 193–194.

  8. 8.

    Stephen 1900[1968] vol. I, p. 180.

  9. 9.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 84.

  10. 10.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 77.

  11. 11.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 77.

  12. 12.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 147.

  13. 13.

    Kitromilides 1998 pp. 144–145; Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 186.

  14. 14.

    Stephen 1900[1968] vol. I, pp. 207–208. Kitromilides 1998 pp. 144–145. Guidi 2009 p. 375.

  15. 15.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 443, 448.

  16. 16.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, pp. 457–458; Stephen 1900[1968] vol. I, p. 220.

  17. 17.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. XI, pp. 553–54, 565.

  18. 18.

    Bowring, vol. XI, p. 53.

  19. 19.

    Bentham’s letter to Adams in Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 554.

  20. 20.

    Bowring, vol. XI, p. 23.

  21. 21.

    Bowring, vol. XI, p. 40.

  22. 22.

    Bowring, vol. VIII, pp. 555–600.

  23. 23.

    Kitromilides 1998, p. 145.

  24. 24.

    Kitromilides 1984, vol. II, pp. 285–308.

  25. 25.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 551.

  26. 26.

    Stephen 1900[1968] vol. I, p. 229; Atkinson 1905[1969] p. 206.

  27. 27.

    Richardson and Hurwitz 1987, pp. 195–198; Harris 2005, pp. 38–42.

  28. 28.

    Mill 1833, in Parekh, ed., 1974, pp. 2–5.

  29. 29.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 77. Cf. Guidi 2002.

  30. 30.

    Smith 1776[1937], Book II, Chap. II.

  31. 31.

    Rae 1895 p. 423; Gide et Rist 1930, vol. I, p. 122, not. (1).

  32. 32.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 226.

  33. 33.

    Stephen 1900[1968] vol. I, p. 201.

  34. 34.

    Bowring, 1843, vol. X, p. 260.

  35. 35.

    Stephen 1900[1968] vol. I, p. 202, n.2. For a detailed analysis of the function of Panopticon see Brunon-Ernst 2007. Cf. Guidi 2004 pp. 405–431, Sigot 2009 pp. 380–384.

  36. 36.

    Bentham 1793a in Bowring [1838–1843], vol. 4.

  37. 37.

    Bentham 1793b in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol. 2.

  38. 38.

    Bentham 1801–1804 in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol. 3.

  39. 39.

    Bentham 1821 [1995].

  40. 40.

    Bentham 1795 in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol. 1.

  41. 41.

    Bentham 1801a in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol. 2.

  42. 42.

    Bentham 1801b in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol.3.

  43. 43.

    Bentham 1801c in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol. 3.

  44. 44.

    Kelly 1987 p. 161.

  45. 45.

    Bentham 1801d in Stark, ed., 1952–1954, vol. 2.

  46. 46.

    Kelly 1987 p. 161.

  47. 47.

    Lettres d’ Auguste Comte à John Stuart Mill 1877, p. 4.

  48. 48.

    Stark 1941 p. 60–61. Stark 1946 p. 583.

  49. 49.

    Bowring 1843, vol. X, p. 498.

  50. 50.

    Spiegel 1983 p. 341.

  51. 51.

    So the title of Halévy’s book; Halévy 1928.

  52. 52.

    Psalidopoulos 1997 p. 68.

  53. 53.

    Mill 1838, in Parekh, ed., 1974, pp. 2–5.

  54. 54.

    Bentham 1789[1970] p. 158.

  55. 55.

    Amemiya 2007 p. 158.

  56. 56.

    Bentham 1789[1970] p. 11.

  57. 57.

    Karayiannis 1988.

  58. 58.

    Kelly 1987 p. 157.

  59. 59.

    Bowring vol. I, p. 16.

  60. 60.

    Bowring vol. IV p. 540.

  61. 61.

    Bowring vol. VIII p. 82.

  62. 62.

    Bowring vol. IV p. 542.

  63. 63.

    Bowring vol. III p. 36,39.

  64. 64.

    Stark 1946 p. 599.

  65. 65.

    Stark ed., vol. III p. 226.

  66. 66.

    Stark ed., vol. I p. 310.

  67. 67.

    Stark ed., vol. III p. 34.

  68. 68.

    Halévy 1928 p. 33. Viner 1949 p. 365. Kauder 1965 p. 35. Baujard 2009 p. 440.

  69. 69.

    Bentham 1789[1970] p.11. As Halévy 1928 p. 26 mentions, the pain-pleasure calculus is taken almost word for word from Helvetius.

  70. 70.

    Bowring ed. 1843, vol. 3, Pannomial Fragments, Chap. IV, p. 229. See also Kraus 1902 p. 59.

  71. 71.

    Stigler 1950 pp. 307ff.

  72. 72.

    Stigler 1950 p. 309.

  73. 73.

    Stigler 1950 p. 310.

  74. 74.

    Baumgardt 1952 p. 554.

  75. 75.

    Baumgardt 1952 p. 559.

  76. 76.

    Kauder 1965 p. 37.

  77. 77.

    Stephen 1950, vol. 2 p. 7ff; Halévy 1928 p. 107.

  78. 78.

    Bentham 1789[1970] p.11.

  79. 79.

    Spiegel 1983 p. 342.

  80. 80.

    Landreth & Colander 1989 p. 143–144.

  81. 81.

    Stark ed., 1952 vol. 1, pp. 129–207.

  82. 82.

    Stark ed., 1952 vol. 3, p. 48.

  83. 83.

    Psalidopoulos 1997. Englander 1998.

  84. 84.

    Stark ed., 1952 vol. 2, p. 310.

  85. 85.

    Spiegel 1983 p. 342.

  86. 86.

    Long 1977 p. x, 25, 39–40.

  87. 87.

    Stark ed., 1952 vol. 3, p. 198.

  88. 88.

    Supply Without Burthen: Or Escheat Vice Taxation, in Stark ed., 1952 vol. 3, p. 318.

  89. 89.

    Long 1979 p. 228.

  90. 90.

    Jones ed., 1973 p. 62; I Comm.1.

  91. 91.

    Jones, Selections, 124; II Comm.1.

  92. 92.

    Long 1979 p. 228.

  93. 93.

    Burns and Hart 1970.

  94. 94.

    Long 1979 p. 241.

  95. 95.

    Marx 1867[1953] vol. I., p. 571.

  96. 96.

    Scarre 1996 p. 88.

  97. 97.

    Mill 1838 in Parekh ed., 1974 pp. 1–40.

  98. 98.

    Scarre 1996 p. 90–91; Amemiya 2007 p. 160.

  99. 99.

    Baumgardt 1952 pp. 4ff.

  100. 100.

    Palmer 1941 pp. 855–871.

  101. 101.

    Spiegel 1983 p. 747.

  102. 102.

    Robbins 1965 p. 12.

References

  • Amemiya T (2007) Economy and economics of ancient Greece. London: Rouledge [Routledge explorations in economic history 33]

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson CM (1905)[1969] Jeremy Bentham. His life and work. Methuen (repr. New York: A. Kelley)

    Google Scholar 

  • Baujard A (2009) A return to Bentham’s felicific calculus: from moral welfarism to technical non-welfarism. Eur J Hist Econ Thought 16(3):431–453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgardt D (1952) Bentham and the ethics of today, with Bentham manuscripts hitherto unpublished. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1789)[1970] An introduction to the principles of Morals and legislation. In: Burns JH, Hart HLA (eds). London: T. Payne & Son/University of London. The Athlone Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1793a) Emancipate your colonies. In: Bowring (ed) 1838–43, vol 4

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1793b) Manual of political economy. In: Stark (ed) 1952, vol 2

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1795) Supply without Burthen; or Escheat vice taxation. In: Stark (ed) 1952, vol I

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1801–1804) Institute of Political Economy. In: Stark (ed) 1954, vol III

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1801a) Abstract or compressed view of a tract intituled circulating annuities. In: Stark (ed) 1952, vol II

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1801b) The true alarm. In: Stark (ed) 1954, vol III

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1801c) Defence of a maximum. In: Stark (ed) 1954, vol III

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1801d) Annuity note plan. In: Stark (ed) 1952, vol II

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham J (1821)[1995] Colonies, commerce and constitutional law. In: Schofield P (ed). Clarendon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowring J (ed) (1838–1843)[1872] The works of Jeremy Bentham, vols I–XI. William Tait, Edinburgh [reprint New York: Russell & Russell, 1962]

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunon-Ernst A (2007) Le panoptique des pauvres-Jeremy Bentham et la réforme de l’ assistance en Angleterre. Presses de la Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns JH, Hart HLA (1970) Introduction. In: Bentham J (ed) An introduction to the principles of Morals and legislation. University of London-The Athlone Press, London, pp xxxvii–xliii

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns JH, Hart HLA (1977) Introduction. In: Bentham J (ed) A comment on the commentaries and a fragment on government. University of London-The Athlone Press, London, pp xix–li

    Google Scholar 

  • Englander D (1998) Poverty and poor law reform in 19th century Britain, 1834–1914. Longmann, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gide R et Rist G (1930) Histoire des doctrines economiques [Greek trans: Patselis N, vol I]. Athens: Pyrsos

    Google Scholar 

  • Guidi M (2002) Bentham’s Economics of Legislation. J Public Finance Public Choice XX(2–3):165–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Guidi M (2004) My own Utopia. The economics of Bentham’s panopticon. Eur J Hist Econ Thought 11(3):405–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guidi M (2009) Review: Cyprian Blamires. The French Revolution and the Creation of Benthanism. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, pp xii+442. Eur J Hist Econ Thought 16(2):375–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Halévy E (1928) The growth of philosophic radicalism [trans: Mary Morris]. Faber & Faber, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris J (2005) O Jeremy Bentham kai to <Automoioma tou. He ekkentrike diatheke henos philosophou, Historika Themata 38:33–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones G (ed) (1973) The sovereignty of the law: selections from Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England. University of Toronto Press, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Karayiannis A (1988) Democritus on ethics and economics. Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Economiche e Commerciali XXXV(4–5):369–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauder E (1965) A history of marginal utility theory. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly P (1987) Bentham, Jeremy (1748–1832). In: Eatwell J, Milgate M, Newman P (eds) The New Palgrave: a dictionary of economics, vol 2. Macmillan, London, pp 156–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitromilides P (1984) Jeremy Bentham and Adamantios Corais, In Proceedings of the Conference “Corais and Chios” (in Greek), vol. I. Athens, pp. 285–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitromilides P (1998) Politikoi stochastes ton neon chronon. Biographikes and hermeneutikes prossegiseis, 3rd. edn. Poreia, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraus O (1902) Zur Theorie des Wertes. Max Nieweyer, Halle

    Google Scholar 

  • Landreth H, Colander D (1989) History of economic theory, 4th edn. Houghton Mifflin, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Long DJ (1977) Bentham on liberty: Jeremy Bentham’s idea of liberty in relation to his utilitarianism. University of Toronto Press, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Long DJ (1979) Bentham on property. In: Parel A, Flanagan TH (eds) Theories of property Aristotle to the present. Wilfrid Laurier University Press, Waterloo, pp 221–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Mack MP (1937) Bentham Jeremy. In: Int Encyclopaedia Social Sci 1:55–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Marx K (1867)[1953] Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Ökonomie, vol I. Dietz Verlag, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Mill J St (1838) Bentham. In: Bhikhu Parekh (ed) Jeremy Bentham. Ten critical essays [1974]. Frank Cass, London, pp 1–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer PA (1941) Benthanism in England and America. Am Polit Sci Rev 35(50):855–871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parekh B (ed) (1974) Jeremy Bentham. Ten critical essays. Frank Cass, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Pins M (2006) Bentham Jeremy. In: Herz D, Weinberger V (eds) Lexikon ökonomischer Werke. Wirtschaft und Finanzen, Düsseldorf, pp 34–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Psalidopoulos M (1997) Oikonomikes theories and koinonike politike. He bretannike prossegise. 2nd. edn. Aiolos, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  • Rae J (1895) The life of Adam Smith. London

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson R, Hurwitz B (1987) Jeremy Bentham’s self-image: an exemplary bequest for dissection. Br Med J 295:195–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins L (1965) Bentham in the twentieth century. University of London, Athlone Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Scarre G (1996) Utilitarianism. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Sigot N (2009) Review: Anne Brunon-Ernst, Le panoptique des pauvres-Jeremy Bentham et la réforme de l’ assistance en Angleterre. Paris: Presses de la Sorbonne Nouvelle, 2007, p 271. Eur J Hist Econ Thought 16(2):380–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith A (1776)[1937] An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of Nations. Edited, with an Introduction, Notes, Marginal Summary and an enlarged Index by Edwin Cannan. With an Introduction by Max Lerner. New York: The Modern Library

    Google Scholar 

  • Spiegel HW (1983) The growth of economic thought, 2nd edn. Duke University Press, Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark W (1941) Liberty and equality or: Jeremy Bentham as an Economist. Econ J 51:56–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stark W (1946) Jeremy Bentham as an Economist. Econ J 56:583–608

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stark W (ed) (1952–1954) Jeremy Bentham’s economic writings. Critical edition based on his printed works and unprinted manuscripts, vols 1–3. Allen & Unwin, London [vol I, 1952, p 412, 30s; vol II, 1952, p 458, 40s; vol III, 1954, p 600, 45s]

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephen L (1900)[1968] The English Utilitarians, vol I: Jeremy Bentham. Duckworth, London [reprinted New York: A. Kelley]

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigler G (1950) Τhe development of utility theory. J Political Economy 58:373–396 [Spengler JJ, Allen WR (eds) (1960) Essays in economic thought: from Aristotle to Marshall. Rand McNally, Chicago, pp 606–655]

    Google Scholar 

  • Viner J (1949) Bentham and John Stuart Mill. The Utilitarian Βackground. Am Econ Rev 39:360–382

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, S.A. Messenias 14 & Gr. Lamprakis, 143 42 Nea Philadelphia, Attikis, Greece

    Christos P. Baloglou

Authors
  1. Christos P. Baloglou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christos P. Baloglou .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fak. Staatswissenschaften, Lehrst. Finanzwissenschaft/, Universität Erfurt, Nordhäuser Str. 63, Erfurt, 99089, Thüringen, Germany

    Jürgen Georg Backhaus

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Baloglou, C.P. (2012). Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832). In: Backhaus, J. (eds) Handbook of the History of Economic Thought. The European Heritage in Economics and the Social Sciences, vol 11. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8336-7_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation