Book review: the celebrated Marquis: an Italian noble and the making of the modern world by John Bessler

In The Celebrated Marquis: An Italian Noble and the Making of the Modern World, John Bessler explores the reputation and legacy of Cesare Beccaria (1738-94), a largely forgotten eighteenth-century Italian aristocrat, to show the enduring significance of his writings on equality, economics, law and society. The book underscores Beccaria’s indelible impact on our approach to crime and punishment in the present day, writes Bharat Malkani, and will inspire reformers still fighting against ‘arbitrariness, tyranny and cruelty’ in our legal systems.