The Right to Life. A History of Capital Punishment

 Sacrifice, blood feud, capital punishment - all of these options for the legalized deprivation of a person's life by others have existed since antiquity, and they were all considered as necessary. At the same time, people have always understood that the death penalty is terrifying. It is no coincidence that the criminals were usually condemned to exile in order not to desecrate the native land with blood. It is no coincidence that Socrates could not be executed until the ship sent to Athens for the sacred feast returned to Athens - if the philosopher drank a bowl of hemlock at the moment when the rituals in honour of Apollo were being performed, the god would be offended. It is no coincidence that everyone was feared by the executioners and avoided them. Nevertheless, in different eras, societies, and cultures, people were sentenced to execution. This book explores how ordinary citizens, politicians, philosophers, writers and artists have considered and continue to consider this practice.