The Elements of Politics

Henry Sidgwick

Chapter 2, Footnote #02
Penalty, broadly construed


The word ``penalty'' must be here understood in a wide sense: since the penalty may consist only in the enforced payment of damages to a private individual injured by the violation of the rule; or may be merely negative, and consist in the withdrawal from the law-breaker of some governmental protection of his interests to which he would otherwise have been entitled. In the case, again, of servants of Government, the penalty may be merely reprimand or dismissal. Finally, as we shall see, the penalty ordinarily incurred by subordinate legislative bodies for illegal law-making is merely the annoyance of finding their laws or bye-laws declared invalid.


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Elempol, Chapter 2 Fundamental Conceptions of Politics