Abstract: Besides French Enlightenment, Beccaria is influenced by Scottish Enlightenment, especially Francis Hutcheson and David Hume. Just like Hume, Beccaria emphasizes the value of a modern commercial society and tries to discuss this topic from the perspective of law. Influenced by the "science of human", his consideration involves some metaphysical themes such as justice and morality. Beccaria develops his own discourse by learning from Hutcheson when he considers the themes of legislation, laws and punishments from the perspective of social utility. He opposes the death penalty and torture, arguing that one of the principles of legislation should be "the greatest possible happiness for the greatest possible number of individuals". With the development of his thought, Beccaria gradually attaches the importance to justice and humanism instead of happiness and utility. To study the relationship between Beccaria and Scottish Enlightenment can not only deepen our understanding of Beccaria but reveal the richness of and the interaction in European Enlightenment as well.

Key words: Cesare Beccaria, On Crimes and Punishments, Scottish Enlightenment