Bentham, O’Connell and the Failure of Radical Politics of Law Reform, 1828–1831

Abstract This article examines the efforts of Jeremy Bentham to ally himself with the Irish Catholic leader Daniel O’Connell for the purpose of radical law reform. Between October 1828 and October 1829, Bentham provided three petitions to O’Connell to collect signatures and raise public support in Ireland for legal codification, judicial reforms and an Equity Dispatch Court. O’Connell responded with different levels of enthusiasm, and after July 1830 he was no longer passionate about promoting codification. Meanwhile, Bentham complained privately that O’Connell had been corrupted by the Whigs. It is argued that O’Connell’s public alliance with Bentham should be understood in the context of his personal negotiations with both Whigs and Tories. O’Connell’s support for Bentham was heavily influenced by practical considerations, such as the need to increase his bargaining power for the Irish interest. On the other hand, Bentham developed unrealistic expectations about O’Connell’s commitment to his law reform petitions. It is argued that the alliance between O’Connell and Bentham was mostly tactical, and that its eventual dislocation was the result of conflicting reform priorities and political strategies.