Amsterdam,
June, 1914. [[xxix]]
THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION.
Honorable mention has been given to the first part of this work, which was written upon a subject proposed by the juridical faculty of the University of Amsterdam, and entitled “A Systematic and Critical Exposition of the Literature Dealing with the Relation between Criminality and Economic Conditions.” To this exposition I have added the opinions of some additional authors, and have treated some others more fully than in the original; but on the whole this part of the work has been little changed. The second part, on the other hand, is almost entirely new; though it is true that in my thesis I had already marked out a line of investigation which, in my opinion, required a profound study of the relation between criminality and economic conditions. The period of one year fixed by the faculty was too limited a time in which to give more than a brief survey of the question. I have left the exposition as it was without restating it in the second part (now the more important division of the work), although I am aware that objections might be made, especially as to the form. However, I have not felt that these are of sufficient importance to demand a complete recasting of the work.
I take advantage of this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to those who have expressed their good will by lending me their aid; especially to my highly esteemed colleague, Professor G. A. van Hamel, and my friends Dr. A. Aletrino and N. W. Posthumus.
Amsterdam,
February, 1905. [[xxx]]
I have taken great pains neither to deride human actions, nor to deplore them, nor to detest them, but to understand them.
—Spinoza. [[xxxi]]