Reflections on the Guillotine

Interesting Facts

• The essay was written in the context of post-war France, when the issue of the death penalty was particularly relevant.
• Camus uses personal memories and philosophical reflections to argue his position against the death penalty.
• In the essay, Camus examines the moral and ethical aspects of applying the death penalty, asserting that it is not only ineffective but also inhumane.
• Camus provides examples from history and literature to support his arguments, including references to Dostoevsky and his works.
• One of Camus's key arguments is that a state that employs the death penalty becomes a murderer, contradicting its own principles of justice and humanity.