Is violence ever a good way to teach children respect?

I don't understand why so many people confuse discipline with violence.

I believe that children should be raised to respect others as well as themselves but don't understand how being hit, smacked, caned or otherwise harmed teaches them anything other than:

a) fear and

b) that it's OK for more powerful people to harm smaller, more helpless people in order to get what they want.

Even the callers who said "It didn't do me any harm" remembered being hit far more vividly than the reason for this punishment.

Surely it's far more effective to guide them by doing things like:

. taking your rubbish to a bin rather than dropping litter

. showing them that you respect them and other people you deal with

. listening to them

. explaining the difference between being disappointed in their behaviour and giving up on them (that you'll never give up on them or stop loving them).

To hear more of my (unpopular! For suggesting NOT beating children!) views on today's Sadie Nine show, please click here to listen - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/bbc_radio_essex

We also talked about the election and different parties' proposed policies on education.