No legal plunder: This is the principle of justice. Frederic Bastiat More Quotes by Frederic Bastiat More Quotes From Frederic Bastiat Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain - and since labor is pain in itself - it follows that men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work. History shows this quite clearly. And under these conditions, neither religion nor morality can stop it. When, then, does plunder stop? It stops when it becomes more painful and more dangerous than labor. Frederic Bastiat pain doe men Justice is achieved only when injustice is absent. Frederic Bastiat absent injustice justice The solution of the social problem is in liberty. Frederic Bastiat liberty problem social The mind never fully accepts any convictions that it does not owe to its own efforts. Frederic Bastiat effort mind doe The sort of dependence that results from exchange, i.e., from commercial transactions, is a reciprocal dependence. We cannot be dependent upon a foreigner without his being dependent on us. Now, this is what constitutes the very essence of society. To sever natural interrelations is not to make oneself independent, but to isolate oneself completely. Frederic Bastiat independent liberty essence Competition is merely the absence of oppression. Frederic Bastiat oppression competition absence The mission of the law is not to oppress persons and plunder them of their property, even though the law may be acting in a philanthropic spirit. Its purpose is to protect persons and property.... If you exceed this proper limit -- if you attempt to make the law religious, fraternal, equalizing, philanthropic, industrial, or artistic -- you will then be lost in uncharted territory, in vagueness and uncertainty, in a forced utopia or, even worse, in a multitude of utopias, each striving to seize the law and impose it on you. Frederic Bastiat acting religious law The law has been perverted through the influence of two very different causes-naked greed and misconceived philanthropy. Frederic Bastiat greed law two Trade protection accumulates upon a single point the good which it effects, while the evil inflicted is infused throughout the mass. The one strikes the eye at a first glance, while the other becomes perceptible only to close investigation. Frederic Bastiat eye evil firsts Is not liberty the destruction of all despotism - including, of course, legal despotism? Frederic Bastiat despotism destruction liberty If you wish to prosper, let your customer prosper. Frederic Bastiat customers business wish But we assure the socialists that we repudiate only forced organization, not natural organization. We repudiate the forms of association that are forced upon us, not free association. We repudiate forced fraternity, not true fraternity. We repudiate the artificial unity that does nothing more than deprive persons of individual responsibility. We do not repudiate the natural unity of mankind under Providence. Frederic Bastiat unity organization responsibility The plans differ; the planners are all alike. Frederic Bastiat economic libertarian liberty The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for anything else, no matter how noble the cause, it becomes perverted and justice is weakened. Thus, the law has become perverted by stupid greed and false philanthropy. Frederic Bastiat organization stupid law Finally, is not liberty the restricting of the law only to its rational sphere of organizing the right of the individual to lawful self-defense; of punishing injustice? Frederic Bastiat liberty self law The people who, during the election, were so wise, so moral, so perfect, now have no tendencies whatever; or if they have any, they are tendencies that lead downward to degradation. . . . If people are as incapable, as immoral, and as ignorant as the politicians indicate, then why is the right of these same people to vote defended with such passionate insistence? Frederic Bastiat wise perfect people Taking Five and Returning Four is not Giving Frederic Bastiat five four giving Which countries contain the most peaceful, the most moral, and the happiest people? Those people are found in the countries where the law least interferes with private affairs; where the government is least felt; where the individual has the greatest scope, and free opinion the greatest influence; where the administrative powers are fewest and simplest; where taxes are lightest and most nearly equal Frederic Bastiat government law country Often the masses are plundered and do not know it. Frederic Bastiat economics political philosophy Try to imagine a system of labor imposed by force that is not a violation of liberty; a transfer of wealth imposed by force that is not a violation of property rights. If you cannot do so, then you must agree that the law cannot organize labor and industry without organizing injustice. Frederic Bastiat freedom rights peace
