- 09 Mar 2011 22:01
#13650532
In the modern state the main purpose of punishment is usually considered to be the protection of society and deterrence of future crime.
In a an-cap world, there is no such thing as "society", there is just an individual who was harmed, and has to be restituted. So the purpose of punishment in the an-cap world is only restitution.
So how in the an-cap world can people be protected from a criminal if for instance the victim is not a vengeful person and decides not to demand restitution and not to punish the criminal? How can future crimes be deterred if the criminal was not punished? What if the criminal goes to murder someone else a week after? If only the victim decides about the punishment and restitution, what happens when the victim is not interested? Can we just let a violent aggressor go free?
In a an-cap world, there is no such thing as "society", there is just an individual who was harmed, and has to be restituted. So the purpose of punishment in the an-cap world is only restitution.
So how in the an-cap world can people be protected from a criminal if for instance the victim is not a vengeful person and decides not to demand restitution and not to punish the criminal? How can future crimes be deterred if the criminal was not punished? What if the criminal goes to murder someone else a week after? If only the victim decides about the punishment and restitution, what happens when the victim is not interested? Can we just let a violent aggressor go free?