Whether there had not been more abuse on the part of the…
““Whether there had not been more abuse on the part of the law, in respect to the penalty, than there had been on the part of the culprit in respect to his fault. Whether there had not been an excess of weights in one balance of the scale, in the one which contains expiation.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage questions whether legal penalties are harsher than the offender’s guilt, suggesting a misbalance in justice when punishment outweighs fault.
In simple terms: Justice should match guilt, not exceed it.
Seek fair, proportionate punishment.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- court sentencing
- criminal rehabilitation
- policy reform
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Is punishment ever justified beyond the crime?
- How can societies ensure balanced justice?
Legal systems often struggle to measure subjective fault.