The Law

I lack necessary intellectual capacity and courage to judge or review such an amazing narrative and book, however, this book taught me more and more and proofed that some of the critical , social, political and philosophical questions were answered long time ago. This book adds to the answers to my own personal questions such as why Europ for example was able to reform while other nations and ethnicities were unable to do so and describe the kind of debate that was going on some 150 years ago that enabled the modern world make such a giant leap in politics and economics. I would defiantly list this book as one of the best written and recommend it to those interested in the subject of political economics. I have therefore given it 5 stars!

Amazing title, considered the best for me in the issues of liberty, an eye opener in the end for what it is.

This is a short read, written a few hundred years ago, written by a guy who understood the changes he was seeing around him. Unfortunately, those same agents of change are around today. Give a copy of this to a friend who maybe sees the light, but dimly. This pamphlet can fully open his or her eyes.

It is unfortunate that society today has strayed so far from the principles of limited government and as a result we are slowly losing our liberty. The protection of our freedom is paramount in Bastiats call to arms(by casting ignorance aside)against those who would inflict socialisms shackles upon people. Such is the delusion today, one that seeks to spread the wealth while damning us all to support those with vested interests & entitlements. Bastiat states, Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place. Law DOES NOT create justice. The role of law is to prevent injustice. Today, Bastiats words ring true, There will be fighting at the door of the Legislative Palace, and the struggle within will be no less furious. Our public education has an agenda and it seems to run counter to this book. All we have to do is look at the quality of the students education of today compared to those who were taught before public schools were fully implemented in this country. Sadly lacking to say the least considering the fact that our literacy rate is deplorable compared to the 1800s. Few Harvard graduates today could have entered the Harvard freshman class in the 1600s! *Harvard students then entered college at 16yrs. of age, graduating around 18 or 19! The college graduation requirements back then far exceed the requirements of today. THE LAW should be required reading in every college, unfortunately, due to the political intent of many a university this will probably not occur any time soon. We live in an interesting time, where, with the click of a mouse a question may be answered. Sadly the questions weighing heavily upon the minds of many of our youth lack the gravity of our current situation. More importantly, it shows ignorance or complete disregard for what our forefathers and so many others like Bastiat have established. People with complete lack of regard are enjoying the very fruits of their labor, while allowing the luxury of freedom to slip from our grasp. Bastiats THE LAW is a timeless read that can be easily digested in a day. I strongly recommend this translated edition by Dean Russell. Compare these two translations: Feb 6, 2009 edition from Seven Treasures Publications: Existence, faculties, assimilation - in other words, personality, liberty, property - this is man. It is of these three things that it may be said, apart from all the demagogue subtlety, that they are anterior and superior to all human legislation. Dean Russell translation: Life, faculties, production - in other words, individuality, liberty, property - this is man. And in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all human legislation, and are superior to it. Keeping a positive attitude he said, And now the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: may they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgement of faith in God and His works. If Bastiat were alive today he would shudder at what has become of his beloved homeland and stare in disbelief at what is becoming of ours. *TEACHING THE TRIVIUM by Harvey & Laurie Bluedorn

Although written in 1850, the principles of freedom from government intrusion into our lives, could not be more appropriate in todays world. Mr. Bastiat elucidates, in 75 pages, his concept of the over-reach of the Socialist style of government, by creating laws which actually limit our rights to free expression. This short treatise should be read and reread by every citizen, and taught in history classes throughout the world. It tells in simple terms, how the government systematically erodes freedoms, and makes the populace dependent upon it for its power over its citizenry. The concept of ominous parallels in our world today, could not be more appropriate and critical to understand. The principles are great ammunition for those who wish to preserve the freedoms our forefathers fought for to bring us.

First, this is an excellent book and one I highly recommend. It is a short read and can easily be read in one sitting. While there is much here that is relevant to contemporary society, it is also necessary to put his observations into historical perspective. Bastiat grew up during the reign of Napoleon and the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. He came of age during the reign of Louis Napoleon and all of the subsequent political upheavals. The society with which he was familiar was essentially agrarian rather than industrial, hence he focuses on the need for the individuals right to retain all he has earned. He fails -- and understandably so -- to recognize the rights of the capitalist to a return on his investment. He dances around universal sufferage but in fact seems to accept the need for limitations since he implies the prolitariat is too dumb to vote. He doesnt accept any role for government beyond his basic premise of the sole purpose of the law is to protect and defend from plunder. While his arguments regarding the law are essentially sound they do not probe deep enough into the role of government in a complex society. His view of government is that it is socialism pure and simple. If you step back and project his writings into our time they still have relevance but -- at least in my opinion -- they need to be adjusted to fit our reality. If taken literally, Bastiat comes across as an Anarchist who does not believe in any government or at least no government beyond what is needed for defense. However, his interpretation of the law and how it is corrupted to take from the haves to give to the lazy is well made. His focus on the individual and rights of the individual are better made by Ayn Rand (The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged). This is a very good book, but needs to read and placed into historical perspective.

Frederick Bastiat was a French Farmer in the first half of the 19th century who watched his countrys government assume more and more power. That is what I thought made this book unique - In the first paragraph, he states his intent of the book to be an alert to his countrymen - which is probably why the book is so emotional as well as succinct. Bastiat manages to describe the purpose of law, from a religious standpoint, in the first 3-4 pages. The rest of the book is mostly specific details of how his description of the proper purpose of the law has been thwarted in France in 1850. Many of the same principals apply today. For three bucks and an hour of your time, this book is guaranteed to engage you and make you think. In my experience, its ability to persuade people is uncanny.

The one dissenter of the philosophers of his day. Bastiat considered the periods just before, during and after the French revolution. He has a very common sense and very practical God fearing thought process to mankind and the rules we make up while sharing his respect and admiration for the ways of God, the Creator.This man will help any American to see what is true and good about the Constitution for the United States. After all, France adopted our constitution shortly after we did. ~A United States born Natural person

Good thought provoking book. Definitely one to have on your bookshelf.

Bastiat crams a lot of wisdom, logic, and common sense into just fifty-five pages. Don’t let this deter you from reading the book but Bastiat is French and died on Christmas Eve, 1850. Yet his words resonate today. He was a great admirer of America because of its freedom and Constitution and the protection of individual liberties. In the foreword to the book written in 2007 by Loyola College economics professor Thomas J. DiLorenzo, however, Lorenzo speculates how Bastiat would have reacted to America’s Civil War. “It is unlikely that he would have considered the U.S. government’s military invasion of the Southern States in 1861, the killing of some 300,000 citizens, and the bombing, burning, and plundering of the region’s cities, towns, farms, and businesses as being consistent in any way with the protection of lives, liberties, and properties of those citizens as promised by the Declaration of Independence.” Bravo. No political correctness or revisionist history there. DiLorenzo goes on to say, “Anyone who reads this great essay along with other free-market classics, such as Henry Hazlitt’s Economics in One Lesson and Murray Rothbard’s Power and Market, will possess enough intellectual ammunition to debunk the socialist fantasies of this or any other day.” Nuff said. Maybe I will just add a quote directly from Bastiat. “Nothing can enter the public treasury, in favor of one citizen or one class, but what other citizens and other classes have been forced to send to it.”