The Law was originally published in French in 1850 (this translation to English is from 1874) by Frédéric Bastiat. It was written two years after the third French Revolution of 1848 and a few months before his death of tuberculosis at age 49. The essay was influenced by John Locke's Second Treatise on Government and in turn influenced Henry Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson. It is the work for which Bastiat is most famous.
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About the Author
Frederic Bastiat was born in Bayonne, Aquitaine, France. When he was nine years old, he was orphaned and became a ward of his father's parents. At age seventeen he left school to become more involved with his family's business as an exporter. Economist Thomas DiLorenzo suggests that this family business experience was crucial to Bastiat's later work because it allowed young Frédéric to acquire first-hand knowledge of some of the effects of trade regulations on the market. Sheldon Richman notes that "he came of age during the Napoleonic wars, with their extensive government intervention in economic affairs." When Bastiat was twenty-five, his grandfather and benefactor died, leaving the young man the family estate and providing him with the means to further his own theoretical inquiries. His areas of intellectual interest were diverse, including "philosophy, history, politics, religion, travel, poetry, political economy, [and] biography." His public career as an economist began only in 1844, and was cut short by his untimely death in 1850. Bastiat had contracted tuberculosis, probably during his tours throughout France to promote his ideas, and that illness eventually prevented him from making further speeches (particularly at the legislative assembly to which he was elected in 1848 and 1849) and took his life. Bastiat died in Rome on 24 December 1850.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
about the Free Patriot Press edition,
This review is from: The Law (Paperback)
My low rating refers only to the edition from one publisher - Free Patriot Press, and is not based on the content of the book itself. The problem is that I don't think the Free Patriot Press edition is worth the price. It's all in a bold, sans serif typeface, and the paragraphs aren't even justified. In a classic example of catch-22, this edition sells well because it's ranked high which in turn keeps the high ranking and even more sales - but don't let that fool you. Take advantage of the Look Inside feature and you'll see the text for yourself and see what I mean.
Bastiat's book is a classic and still widely read. There is nothing I can add to the excellent reviews about the books content, but this edition stinks. Personally, I prefer the following edition: The Law , and find it much easier to read. Check out the link.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good Material. Terrible Publisher,
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This review is from: The Law (Paperback)
Good material. Bastiat argues his case well.
The publisher of this version leaves a lot to be desired. This copy is plagued with typesetting errors and poor formatting. Look elsewhere for your copy.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Political Economy Book from Bastiat,
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This review is from: The Law (Paperback)
Read this and give copies to your congressman and senators. This book was published in 1850 to describe the French socialists of Bastiat's country, but those politicians aren't that much different than ours today. Bastiat is one of the most quotable economists ever. "The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else". "When goods do not cross borders, soldiers will." "Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state wants to live at the expense of everyone." These are just a few of Bastiat's gems. Read this short book. The prose is excellent.
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