Looking at the last two centuries of European history, it doesn't seem like there's any special value placed on life or liberty by European states. From the French Revolution to the Balkan war, and maybe even in Ukraine today, there's been a real bloodlust in politics in Europe.

Yet for the last several decades, even in cases of mass murder for political motives, European courts routinely impose sentences of twenty years or less. Is this a juridical response to the previous two centuries of blood? Is there some other cultural reason that life sentences are taboo?