Humanist Criminology
Humanist Criminology is a school of jurisprudential thought originating within the Nationalist & Humanist Party (N&H). It rejects the Ayreonist emphasis on individual psychology and rehabilitation in favour of a functionalist approach to social order. The theory posits that the maintenance of complex, high-functioning societies requires the rigorous regulation of human drives, prioritising the health of the collective "Human Organism" (the State) over the narrative comfort of the individual unit.
Core Principles
Somatic Liability
Central to Humanist Criminology is the distinction between the "narrator" (the conscious self) and the "body" (the acting agent). The theory argues that the State does not punish the post hoc narrator—the internal voice that rationalises behaviour after the fact—but rather the physical body which has failed to regulate its own internal drives. Under this framework, intent is secondary to impact. A body that cannot maintain harmonious functioning within the complexity of modern society is viewed as a defective component. Whether the failure to self-regulate is voluntary or the result of irrational drives is immaterial to the necessity of containment; the body must be sanctioned to prevent further degradation of the social fabric.
The Necessity of Hierarchy
Humanist Criminology asserts that "social peace" is not a natural state but an artificial construct maintained by authority.
- Complexity requires Control: As societies become more advanced and interconnected, the margin for error decreases. Deviation from mandated normative behaviour becomes exponentially more dangerous.
- Submission to Authority: It is necessary for every person to be subject to the disciplined authority of the State. No individual may be excused for actions that are deleterious to the order upon which human flourishing depends.
Rejection of Externalised Anguish
The theory maintains a strict separation between private suffering and public duty. While it is rational for the State to investigate root causes to mitigate future risks, the individual offender is granted no leniency based on personal circumstances.
"All must obey, even if they suffer. No-one enjoys the liberty to externalise their personal anguish onto others."
This maxim underpins the N&H approach to public order: personal trauma does not grant a license to disrupt the collective peace.
Penological Function
Control and Retribution
Humanist Criminology advocates for a dual-purpose penal system: Incapacitation: The immediate control of individuals who have demonstrated a failure of self-discipline. Performative Retribution: The State must be seen to perform the function of punishment. This demonstration validates the State's capacity to rule and reassures the compliant population that the Vanguard retains the monopoly on force.
The Justification of Rebellion
In a corollary often cited by N&H theorists regarding the Kalirion Fracture and subsequent consolidations, the theory notes that rebellion against authority is criminal by definition—unless it succeeds.
- A failed rebellion is merely a breach of the peace.
- A successful rebellion is retrospectively justified only if it establishes a "totalising system of order" that improves upon the previous hierarchy.
- Therefore, the legitimacy of the Council of Archons is derived not merely from ideology, but from the successful imposition of a superior system of complexity and control.
