Abstract
You have the opportunity to decide whether or not a person gets caned, the only caveat is that they have committed a crime against you. What will you do? This essay explores the moral complexity of caning in Singapore through an exploration of corporal punishment, criminal justice, moral philosophy, and the Asian values debate; a dilemma that ultimately places concerns of society and the individual at odds. In doing so, the essay argues that the morality of caning changes on the basis of the ethical framework and modification of situation variables. Even so, the moral complexity of caning is not superficially evident. In order to thoroughly engage with all elements of this complexity, this essay begins by attempting to decipher the place of punishment within international human rights frameworks. From there, the essay explores the morality of punishment and its employ in colonial endeavors. This leads to a discussion of modernization, humanitarian ideologies, and control. By creating a framework for analyzing criminal justice in Singapore—including an outline of the intersections of criminal justice, development, and prosperity —this essay seeks to explore the balance between corporal punishment as a tool of prosperity and corporal punishment as a source of pain and degradation. When placed in consequentialist and virtue-based ethical frameworks caning in Singapore looks very different, forcing the moral actor to weigh societal concerns with concerns for individual pain, suffering, and liberties.
 Keywords: Caning, Morality, Society, Punishment.
Highlights
What will you do? This essay explores the moral complexity of caning in Singapore through an exploration of corporal punishment, criminal justice, moral philosophy, and the Asian values debate; a dilemma that places concerns of society and the individual at odds
In order to thoroughly engage with all elements of this complexity, this essay begins by attempting to decipher the place of punishment within international human rights frameworks
The abstract experience and presence of pain must be considered in determining the morality of corporal punishment; here we can see the emergence of a case for corporal punishment as a human rights violation
Summary
37 | Journal of Contemporary Sociological Issues corporal punishment in Singapore lies somewhere in between, and the extent to which it aligns with “right” or “wrong” varies on the basis of ethical framework By exploring this dilemma, we will see that the complexity of caning places societal concerns at odds with individual liberties. Exploring colonization illuminates how national history affects our victim, as well as how pain and dehumanization affect our offender From this point, the paper engages directly with the case of Singapore, examining Singapore’s criminal justice system, the relationship between criminal justice and development, and the Asian values debate. I argue that Singapore criminal justice should be viewed as a repertoire of norms which can change over time without becoming invalid This is followed by the application of moral frameworks to the two potential outcomes of the above-presented moral dilemma and a concluding discussion. In the section on colonization and corporal punishment, I use the term “flogging,” which can be a synonym for caning, yet in this context refers to the use of a different tool and a slightly different practice
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
