Jeremy Bentham believed that all human action should be evaluated by the axiom of utility, which simply states that actions giving the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people should be the yardstick by which right and wrong is measured.

Early in his career, he was a proponent of lassez faire, but later in his career, he became a strong advocate of expansionary monetary policies to achieve full employment.

Bentham was trained in law, but he never practiced, instead focusing on legal and judicial reform. The central characteristic of his reform proposals was the implementation of incentives to achieve the desired ends.

Works by Jeremy Bentham:

• The Theory of Legislation
  
• Defence of Usury
  
• An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation

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