in the 1900s only the worst murderers were hanged
Sorry but that simply isnt true, in fact many innocent people were hung, Derek Bently, James Hanratti to name a few, were convicted and hung, but in all probability were innocent.
The case for the abolition of CAPITAL punishment , and or cruel or unusual punishment is not the same as the abolition of corporal punishment.
My main point though was about the duality of a country that posses weapons of mass destruction yet has abolished the cane. Logically it should have been the other way round. Yet CND is now but a voice in the wilderness. We are told that it is barbaric to cane someones bottom, but seem quite at ease with our potential to annihilate people. Dont cane someones bottom just incinerate millions. Whats even stranger is that most of our military capability is offensive rather than defensive. Two new aircraft carriers to be built and Trident to come.