he central points of this theory are: (1) The human being is a rational actor,
(2) Rationality involves an end/means calculation, (3) People (freely) choose
all behavior, both conforming and deviant, based on their rational calculations,
(4) The central element of calculation involves a cost benefit analysis: Pleasure
versus Pain, (5) Choice, with all other conditions equal, will be directed
towards the maximization of individual pleasure, (6) Choice can be controlled
through the perception and understanding of the potential pain or punishment
that will follow an act judged to be in violation of the social good, the social
contract, (7) The state is responsible for maintaining order and
preserving the common good through a system of laws (this system is the embodiment
of the social contract), (8) The Swiftness, Severity, and Certainty of
punishment are the key elements in understanding a law's ability to control
human behavior.