Envisioning Abolition: Socialism, Anarchism and Penal Abolitionism in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries

Abolitionist thought visualizes a world without prisons - or a radical reduction or transformation of prisons and punishment. This fascinating book explores the abolitionist ideas of key early socialists and anarchists, writing from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries. It considers how these radical thinkers can provide insights into our present condition, both by highlighting the harms of punishment and by pointing to inspiring alternatives to current policy and practice.

By examining their calls for the ending of legal coercion, domination and repression, the book shows how the ideas of early socialists and anarchists can assist those engaging in emancipatory struggles against penal and social injustice today.

David Gordon Scott works at The Open University and is Co-Founding Editor of the journal Justice, Power and Resistance.

Emma Bell is Professor of British Politics at Savoie University and is Co-Founding Editor of the journal Justice, Power and Resistance.