ThiseditionofBeccariasONCrimesandPunishmentsandotherwritingspresentsaradicallynewinterpretationofhisthought.DrawingonrecentItalianscholarship,RichardBellanWshowshowBeccariawovetogetherthevariouspoliticallanguagesoftheEnlightmentintoanovelsynthesis,andarguesthathispoliticalphilosophy,oftenregaMedasnomorethanaprecursorofBenthams,combinesrepublican,contractarian,romanticandliberalaswellasutilitarianthemes.Theresultisacomplextheoryofpunishmentthatderivesfromasophisticatedanalysisoftheroleofthestateandthenatureofhumanmotivationinconnnercialsociety.ThetranslationusedinthiseditionisbasedonthefifthItalianeditionandprovidesEnglish-speakingreaderswithBeccariasownorderingofhistextforthefirsttime.AnumberofpiecesfromhiswritingsonpoliticaleconomyandthehistoryofcivilisationwhichwerenotpreviouslyavailableinEnglisharealsoincluded.RichardBelhmyisProfessorofPoliticsintheSchoolofEconomicandSocialStudies,UniversityofEastAnglia.HehaseditedGramscisPre-PrisonWritingsforthisseries,andhisotherpublicationsincludeModemItalianSocialTheory(PolityPress,1987),victorianLiberalism(Routledge,1990)andLiberalismandModernSociety(PolityPress,1992)