LS227 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Age Of Enlightenment, Due Process, Enrico Ferri
30 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
Theories of crime inspired by religious beliefs and superstition: People ascribed various unusual phenomena of nature to the activities of evil spirits. Belief that any pathology in human behaviour must be due to evil spirits. Burning people who were accused of witchcraft; trial by ordeal (dropping someone who is said to be guilty into a river, if they are fine, the evil spirits helped them, and if they die, they were innocent0. Rule of evil spirits were important in judeo-christian teachings. Belief is that if you are a good person with good character you can resist the temptation devil by following the teachings of god. Guilt will be determined by fatal methods that would be used to prove the presence of a spirit. Religious and political elites sought to silence rebellious people in times of social upheaval. Reinforces power in the elites; you need us, you need priests, to perform exorcisms and shit.
