The Privatization of Capital Punishment

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Randall McGowen's "Civilizing Punishment:The End of the Public Execution in England," which examines the transformation in capital punishment that occurred in the United Kingdom during the early nineteenth century. It discusses, according to the book, how capital punishment was moved out of the public sphere and into the private one. The paper discusses the historical content of McGowen's work and the conclusions that he draws.

From the Paper:

"McGowen concludes that the purpose of privatizing executions in England in the nineteenth century was partly to curtail expression of violence and promote more civilized morality (McGowen 280). More than that, however, moving executions into the private sphere was part of a changing cultural discourse and the development of a more refined middle class that did not want to be confronted with the realities of capital punishment. Finding the practice morally repugnant, as well as probably aesthetically unappealing, the reform movement was an expression of middle class distaste for executions and death. Attempts to outlaw the practice entirely were unsuccessful at that time, but did result in the removal of executions from public venues. Death and criminal punishment ceased forever in England to be a carnival-esque spectacle and became a more solemn, controlled, and presumably human practice."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blanchfield, Dierdre. "Public Executions in Nineteenth Century England." 14 Oct. 2006 <http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/classes/434/geweb/PUBLICEX.htm>.
• "British Military and Criminal History in the Period 1900 to 1999." Stephen's Study Room. 12 Oct. 2006 <http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/capital_hist.htm>.
• "History of Judicial Hanging in Britain." Capital Punishment UK. 14 Oct. 2006 <http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/hanging1.html>.
• McGowen, Randall. "Civilizing Punishment"The End of the Public Execution in England." Journal of British Studies 33 (July 1994): 257-282.

More papers on The Privatization of Capital Punishment:

• Book Review # 129995 : "Punishment in Nineteenth Century England"
• Analytical Essay # 128612 : "The Problem of Capital Punishment"
• Persuasive Essay # 116306 : "The Immorality of Capital Punishment"

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