British Literature Survey
Reference Pages: Charles Dickens Group

Jeremy Bentham and Utilitarianism
by Lauren Jones

The Victorian Age fostered the growth of a moral philosophy based on the principle “the greatest happiness of the greatest number” (Plamenatz) known as Unitarianism. The basic creed of this viewpoint held that an action was considered ethical only if it benefited the most number of people. Additionally, the happiness of the people is determined by a ratio of good, described as pleasure, and bad, which would be felt as pain (Crimmins). Morality was classified under almost mathematical terms. Critics accused Unitarianism of being too heartless and lacking all emotional value on concepts of right and wrong. During the Victorian Age, this movement led to several social, educational, and economic reforms. For example, the Poor Law of 1834 was strongly influenced by this philosophy, creating workhouses in place of church assistance to help the poor; a situation which Dickens criticizes intensely in his works (Everett). While this theory had its roots in the philosophical schools of Rationalism (Voltaire) and English Empiricism (Locke and Hume) it was not until Jeremy Bentham that it gained social prominence. Jeremy Bentham was born on February 15, 1748 in London to an attorney and his wife. His education was replete with legal and classical studies. Bentham’s most prominent work on Unitarianism, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, was published in 1789 (Dinwiddy). His work went on to influence many Unitarian reforms in England with his writing and inspired future Utilitarians, such as James Stuart Mill.

Works Cited

Crimmins, James. ____?_____. Canada: Wadsworth, 2004.

Dinwiddy, John. Bentham. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Everett, Glenn. Unitarianism ??. 11 Oct 2002. University of Tennessee. 01 Feb 2006. http://www.victorianweb.org/philosophy/phil1.html.

Plamenatz, John. The English Utilitarians. Great Britian: Basil Blackwell, 1949.

Paul Marchbanks
marchban@email.unc.edu