I got the cane only once in school.

The reason for it? I was excused to go to the toilet. While I was out some kids pissed off the class and gave them lunchtime detention. On my return, no one informed me. After lunch the deputy principle pulled me up in class and caned my hand for not attending detention. I had piano lessons that evening and had to cancel them.

At that very point I became anti-authoritarian and began a crusade against the school administration, the interschool christian fellowship and the deputy principle who eventually was sacked (due to parent pressure) and years later jailed for buggering boys (who knew?).

Crime and punishment are two edged things. A government meeting out punishment for dubious laws is doomed to produce the seeds of its own destruction.