The First Edition of Traités de Législation was published in 1789. The work is a combination of French translations of English philosopher Jeremy Bentham’s papers, and partly of political writer Etienne Dumont’s commentary on the proposed theories. Jeremy Bentham was notable for his utilitarian approach to politics, philosophy, and sociology, eventually establishing his own form of thought known as “Benthamism.” Traités de Législation, as the title suggests, largely spoke of Bentham’s understanding of legislation and penal reform and are in fact said to have established Bentham’s reputation in the academic stratosphere. In broad terms, JS Mill describes this work as a depiction of “what human opinions and institutions ought to be, how they might be made what they ought to be, and how far removed from it they now are,” as understood by Bentham (pg 40).
Mill was completely and absolutely enamored with Traités de Législation, citing his reading of the book as “an epoch in [his] life; one of the turning points in [his] mental history” (pg 39). Though he claims his previous education was akin to Benthamism to an extent, it was not until Mill had digested this work that he began to align his social, moral, and political philosophies with Benthamism.
Sources:
Bentham, Jeremy Bentham, Pierre Dumont, and tienne Louis. “Traites De Legislation Civile Et Penale, 3 Vols. 1802, First Edition by Jeremy Bentham, Pierre Dumont, Tienne Louis on The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.” The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. Accessed February 28, 2021. https://www.lawbookexchange.com/pages/books/69864/jeremy-bentham-pierre…;
Lieberman, David. “From Bentham to Benthamism.” The Historical Journal 28, no. 1 (1985): 199–224. doi:10.1017/S0018246X00002284.