Conservatism In America Analysis
Within “The Rise of Conservatism in America”, Capital Punishment is a chapter that marks a time in history in that Conservatives made a clear stand against the high crime rates due to lack of liberal action being performed in the early 1970s. "An eye for an eye" captures the conservative model of punishment in contemporary western societies. That is, when a wrong is done to an innocent person, the wrongdoer must be severely punished in order to "even the books" and stand as an example to deter other wrongdoers. Its advocates often call this punishment model the "law-and-order" model. Conservatives view was that the death penalty is a punishment that fits the crime of murder; it is neither cruel nor unusual. Executing a murderer is the appropriate
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punishment for taking an innocent life.The inclination for why conservatives favoured the law-and-order punishment model was the appeal of the punishment paradigm in times of social tensions and economic unpredictability. As with so many of its policies, the Right’s conservative view of human nature and a preeminent desire for an orderly society drives it’s law-and order agenda.
Donald Atwell Zoll states that, “A humane society is a compassionate society, but compassion is only significant in terms of justice, of a sensitivity to the valid claims of men which rest upon the restraints on usurpation, aggression and terror.” (S&L, 83)
Even though riots and racial protests decreased significantly, murder, assault, rape and robbery had drastically increased after the mid 1960s.
Action was made by the conservatives due to lack of response from the liberals and a demand for more patrol officers, stricter sentences and an increase in executions. Even though the Liberals were opposed to the idea of the harsh reality of penalty by death and the courts ruling in the mid 1970s that briefly dismissed it, eventually Capital Punishment became the resolve to protecting society against criminals. Zoll argues that it comes down to three significant factors that support the act of Capital Punishment; Deterrent argument, Retaliation Argument and Moral Indignation Argument. In contrast, the liberal punishment model emphasizes the rights of the accused, humane (not "cruel and unusual") punishment, and rehabilitation of those convicted of a crime. Conservatives and rightists belittle this model as "soft on crime." Liberals would argue that capital punishment is simply state sponsored and funded government murder. Liberals would further state that the killing of prisoners by Capital Punishment removes any chance of rehab and bettering our society. They believe the US spends more money on killing, the appeals, and keeping them housed in death row cells than we do keeping them alive. In the United States, the two opposing models compete in the realms of culture and public policy. For most of U.S. history, the harsher punishment model has been so dominant that it is part of their international image. They are the country where they "hang 'em high." Only in an exceptional period does the principle and practice of redemption gain the upper hand. While the liberal, humanistic vision of human nature is that people are basically good, but are made bad by oppressive poverty, abuse, addiction, racism, and/or lack of opportunity, the Right's view is that people are bad by nature. Though it proved to be thought provoking to
many, it did not end up garnering a majority of support of widespread use of capital punishment. The death penalty is almost non-existent today.
punishment for taking an innocent life.The inclination for why conservatives favoured the law-and-order punishment model was the appeal of the punishment paradigm in times of social tensions and economic unpredictability. As with so many of its policies, the Right’s conservative view of human nature and a preeminent desire for an orderly society drives it’s law-and order agenda.
Donald Atwell Zoll states that, “A humane society is a compassionate society, but compassion is only significant in terms of justice, of a sensitivity to the valid claims of men which rest upon the restraints on usurpation, aggression and terror.” (S&L, 83)
Even though riots and racial protests decreased significantly, murder, assault, rape and robbery had drastically increased after the mid 1960s.
Action was made by the conservatives due to lack of response from the liberals and a demand for more patrol officers, stricter sentences and an increase in executions. Even though the Liberals were opposed to the idea of the harsh reality of penalty by death and the courts ruling in the mid 1970s that briefly dismissed it, eventually Capital Punishment became the resolve to protecting society against criminals. Zoll argues that it comes down to three significant factors that support the act of Capital Punishment; Deterrent argument, Retaliation Argument and Moral Indignation Argument. In contrast, the liberal punishment model emphasizes the rights of the accused, humane (not "cruel and unusual") punishment, and rehabilitation of those convicted of a crime. Conservatives and rightists belittle this model as "soft on crime." Liberals would argue that capital punishment is simply state sponsored and funded government murder. Liberals would further state that the killing of prisoners by Capital Punishment removes any chance of rehab and bettering our society. They believe the US spends more money on killing, the appeals, and keeping them housed in death row cells than we do keeping them alive. In the United States, the two opposing models compete in the realms of culture and public policy. For most of U.S. history, the harsher punishment model has been so dominant that it is part of their international image. They are the country where they "hang 'em high." Only in an exceptional period does the principle and practice of redemption gain the upper hand. While the liberal, humanistic vision of human nature is that people are basically good, but are made bad by oppressive poverty, abuse, addiction, racism, and/or lack of opportunity, the Right's view is that people are bad by nature. Though it proved to be thought provoking to
many, it did not end up garnering a majority of support of widespread use of capital punishment. The death penalty is almost non-existent today.