Look at what Mao did to the last Qing emperor. You can definitely find punishments that stick to the powerful -- just take away their power and you're halfway there.
You have a fair point about royalty; I was using that example more to highlight how there are in fact ways to punish the powerful.
Take Jeff Bezos -- you could just take all his wealth and have him work some ordinary job (and only that) for the rest of his days. You'd never have some scenario where he gets out of prison and is back to living large, because the money's gone. He'd never get back into any exploitative position because he's now barred from doing anything besides cleaning up parks or running the counter at a bowling alley or something.
He didn't order their execution, either. As I understand it he basically told people to do what they wanted with their landlords (who were functionally closer to feudal lords).
I agree that it can be situatuonally appropriate, though. I'd say "revolutionary context where there's a serious danger if the person escapes, and where there's no other feasible option" is one of those situations.
the thing is that emperor didn't really have the legitimacy of people wanting him to be emperor. He was a puppet for the Japanese for a long time and no one liked him.
Look at what Mao did to the last Qing emperor. You can definitely find punishments that stick to the powerful -- just take away their power and you're halfway there.
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You have a fair point about royalty; I was using that example more to highlight how there are in fact ways to punish the powerful.
Take Jeff Bezos -- you could just take all his wealth and have him work some ordinary job (and only that) for the rest of his days. You'd never have some scenario where he gets out of prison and is back to living large, because the money's gone. He'd never get back into any exploitative position because he's now barred from doing anything besides cleaning up parks or running the counter at a bowling alley or something.
He didn't rehab the landlords tho -- the death penalty can be situationally appropriate
He didn't order their execution, either. As I understand it he basically told people to do what they wanted with their landlords (who were functionally closer to feudal lords).
I agree that it can be situatuonally appropriate, though. I'd say "revolutionary context where there's a serious danger if the person escapes, and where there's no other feasible option" is one of those situations.
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the thing is that emperor didn't really have the legitimacy of people wanting him to be emperor. He was a puppet for the Japanese for a long time and no one liked him.