Crime And Punishment In Non-Western Countries

Countries are shaped and built by many different characteristics. Crimes and punishments are two of these characteristics which have influenced countries and their laws for many centuries. Though, some of the crimes and their ensuing punishments are now obsolete, many are still pertinent in modern times. Each country has a different definition of crime and punishment, displays different political and societal values, and can regulate interactions between Western and non-Western cultures.
In the seventeenth century, China condemned every crime, no matter how inconsequential. Most criminals were often punished by the use of a bastinado1 while other methods included the use of cangues2, symbols marking the face of a criminal for the crimes they have committed, and execution, but only by decree of the emperor himself. These were the reports Père du Halde3 was receiving from missionaries. Père du Halde was writing of China’s construction of crime and punishment as an
These definitions of crime and punishment then influenced interactions between Westerners and non-Westerners. China was under a dynastic rule, which punished every crime, no matter how inconsequential, in similar fashion. Because of this, many Westerners would be wary of going to China or would be aggravated if punished for a crime that they did not understand. The inquisition was based on a theocracy, which was set to unite everyone under the Christian doctrine and punish those that refused or saw a different path in the Christian religion. Both Westerners and non-Westerners were being punished leaving many in fear of their lives. France was starting anew after another revolution and wanted to establish order and liberty so that crime and punishment could be handled. South Africa and the National Party wanted to avoid equality which would cause aggression between Europeans and