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The guillotine as an instrument for execution had already been invented and used since 500 years before the French Revolution, in England and (most regularly) in Scotland. The French 'refined' it by giving the knife a much bigger slant, making it a slicing rather than a hacking instrument. The French kept it in use from 1790 until 1977.

The French dr. Guillotin did only support its use as being much quicker and causing much less suffering for the victim than hanging and beheading by axe or sword. He was horrified when he found his name being given to the device itself.

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10y ago

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