Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
The quote argues against the death penalty by pointing out the contradiction of killing to teach against killing.
In plain terms
You cannot teach people not to kill by killing them.
What can you take from it?
Violence does not teach non-violence.

Where it applies

  • legal debate
  • ethical argument
  • public policy

Putting it to work

  • argue against capital punishment
  • critique state violence

Questions to consider

  • How should we teach values?
  • Is punishment meant to educate?

Another view

It assumes the intent of punishment is purely instructional rather than retributive.

More from Victor Hugo

  1. Vous avez des ennemis? Mais c'est l'histoire de tout homme qui a fait une action grande ou cree une idee neuve. C'est la nuee qui bruit autour de tout ce qui b…

    Permalink to quote #3
  2. Un jour viendra ou il n'y aura plus d'autres champs de bataille que les marches s'ouvrant au commerce et les esprits s'ouvrant aux idees. Un jour viendra ou le…

    Permalink to quote #5
  3. Dieu s'est fait homme; soit. Le diable s'est fait femme!

    Permalink to quote #2

Related quotes

  1. The object of punishment is, prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good.

    Horace MannHorace Mann quote #6
  2. I will admit, like Socrates and Aristotle and Plato and some other philosophers, that there are instances where the death penalty would seem appropriate.

    Jack KevorkianJack Kevorkian quote #13
  3. Revenge is the naked idol of the worship of a semi-barbarous age.

    Percy Bysshe ShelleyPercy Bysshe Shelley quote #163