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In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the life and ideas of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), an influential English jurist, philosopher, and social reformer. A political radical and a pioneer of utilitarianism and animal rights, Benthams contributions have significantly shaped liberal thought. His essay, Offences Against Ones Self, written around 1785, boldly advocates for the decriminalization of homosexuality, challenging the restrictive laws of his time. Although it remained unpublished during his lifetime due to concerns over public morality, it was finally released in 1931. This ...

Underlain by an acute sense of ethics, this provided the basis for his strongly declared, wide-ranging views on many subjects: prohibition of cock-fighting, liberty of the press, universal suffrage, the removal of religious tests for office and even hunting. All were radical ideas for his time. He also proposed the decriminalisation of homosexuality, though even he did not dare to publish his essay on this subject during his lifetime. But An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation was his major work.

The criminalisation of homosexuality over centuries has been one of the shocking injustices of European history - it existed from the middle ages and before and well into the 20th century. The death penalty (hanging or burning) was a commonplace feature in legal systems. These two remarkable texts - one from England in the 18th century and one from Germany in the 19th century - show how there was a growing awareness of the prejudice and the cruelty of its effect.