I agree with you purk.
I wasn't beaten as a kid, but I certainly had my fair share of lickens. As a parent, I just assumed that physical correction would be a part of disciplining my children. My wife had other ideas, as she came from an abusive home, and felt that hitting our kids wasn't an effective means of discipline. I agreed to try it, under the pretenses that we would not take it off the table if the situation presented itself.
Almost 10 years, and 3 kids later, I can confidently say that hitting your kids does NOT have to be a part of raising them. I do believe that every kid is different, and each child may or may not respond well to different stimuli ..... but positive reinforcement coupled with active parenting can yield great results. We have 3 well behaved, respectful children that have never once had to be hit. There have been times where this theory has been tested, and I've been tempted to whack them upside the head, but it's never come to that.