Customer Reviews

The Law

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I read this book in 1980; at the time I was chairman of the democratic party in my county. I really began to do some serious soul searching. I finally concluded I was going to leave my party, as It no longer represented it's founder Mr Thomas Jefferson. This small simple easy to read book totally changed my life That same year I met Jim Hansen, he was making his first run for congress from the state of Utah, I made a deal with him, I would vote for him if he would read The Law by Bastiat. He promised, and I did. I received a nice letter from Jim after he was elected. " Never read a book that has so impressed me". P.S. "Find Yourself another copy, Im keeping Yours". Jim.

Best three dollars ever spent. Ron Steele Moab, Utah

Arguing from the humble perspective of one of mankind's observers rather than the conceited perspective one of its shapers, Mr. Bastiat effectively defines the only rational purpose of Law.

What is the purpose of Law, according to Mr. Bastiat? To establish a constant force of lawful defense of each person's natural right to defend his life, liberty, and property against any unjust attack. In a word, Justice.

To establish his point, Mr. Bastiat challenges anyone to name a single endeavor that a government can do in addition to securing these rights that does not itself trample upon them, and then analyses the numerous feeble attempts by legislators and philosophers to do this. In his trenchent analysees, he exposes the absolute absurdities of such proposals.

A delightful and tremendously important book.

In the current climate politicians argue over the course of action the gorvernment should take without ever giving consideration to the proper and appropriate role of government. A free society must acknowledge that there are areas of life in which government has no role. This notion seems to have been forgotten by most politicians. Too many pets on the street? Pass a law. Don't like the way certain segments manage their lives? Pass a law. Blah, blah, blah? Pass a law.

In his book, Bastiat lays out his argument for the proper role of government at a time when France was legitimately deciding on the proper form to adopt. Although the book can be read in an hour or so, the wealth of wisdom contained in those few pages far exceeds the volumes and volumes that have been written on the subject since.

Where does government derive its power? From the people. What rights do individuals have that are inherent from birth and are not dependent on any particular form of government? The right to defend their life, liberty, and property. Consequently, the only power the people can give to government is the right to defend, collectively, life, liberty, and property. Anything else is a misuse of power.

Do you have the right to take money from your neighbor under threat of imprisonment in order to give the money to someone else? No? Then how can you give that power to government?

Bastiat clearly and succincly defines the proper role of government. Once that role is established, an unwavering litmus test exists for any and every piece of proposed legislation that comes forward for vote. There will no longer be any inconsistencies in your ideology.

If you only read two pieces of literature on the role of government, read the U.S. Constitution and The Law.

Though written in 1850 the ideas expressed by the author are so true today. Unfortunately, we have a government today dominated by liberals, who believe they need to use the law to take from the producers and give to the lazy, and conservatives, who, while claiming to stand for many of the things in this book, in reality join with the liberals to keep us in a strangle hold of big government-using the law to control us rather than using it to prevent injustice as intended. This should be required reading for every congressman. It is a short, easy read that could be referred back to often.

Bastait provides the fundimental principals on the rules of civil government. This is not a book on legalities, but a small treaties on the dangers of unrestrained government.You'll read this book in an hour, but the principles will late a life time.

Well written and logical appraisal of what Law is, and what Government is (and should be!)

Full of examples for historians and 'laymen' to enjoy this short and brilliant work is something that every voter would benefit from reading - especially in todays 'big government' dominated West.

Bastiat was one of the first to recognise and write about the arrogence of legislators and paternalistic governments.

Bastiat hit the nail on the head when it comes to what's wrong with government. His scolding of contemporary political thinkers, who consistently looked upon the individual as incapable of making decisions on their own, is still relevant today. If only more of our politicians would give heed to his words and just do their jobs, leaving us to make our own decisions...

This book explores the concept of government and how it acts. It focuses on the concept of legal plunder - theft by government - and advocates that we not use the government for such means. It is probably the easiest to read treatise on goveernment one could ever find. When you combine that with the books power and accuracy, you realize that this is one of the greatest texts ever written.

No man who has not read this book can call himself educated. No lawyer should be admitted into a courtroom who has not studied Bastiat. Bastiat was writing the Solution the same years Marx was distilling the Problem! A classic, very readable, you'll want more copies so you don't lose yours.

I think this book is responsible for converting more left-leaning big-government types to clear-thinking libertarians than anything ever written.

Interesting how there is only one low ranking review here on Amazon, and the person who wrote it either did not read or did not comprehend the book. The anonymous critic on Amazon claims that Bastiat is guilty of the same greed as the socialists/communists. He falsely claims:

"Ironically, Bastiat himself advocates legal plunder; just instead of the government taking it, Bastiat and those who think like him will take it. All of it if given a chance. Communism arose because of the legal plunder and abuse of the wealthy elite. Yet because of the greed of the leaders of the communist revolution, it became the very thing it fought. Bastiat is no different."

Bastiat never advocated legal plunder of any sort. Nothing could be further from the truth. I will let Bastiat speak from the grave and refute this lie since he predicated critics would make similar claims.

Here is what Bastiat said in "The Law"

"The Desire to Rule Over Others
This must be said: There are too many "great" men in the world - legislators, organizers, do-gooders, leaders of the people, fathers of nations, and so on, and so on. Too many persons place themselves above mankind; they make a career of organizing it, patronizing it, and ruling it.

Now someone will say: "You yourself are doing this very thing." True. But it must be admitted that I act in an entirely different sense; if I have joined the ranks of the reformers, it is solely for the purpose of persuading them to leave people alone. I do not look upon people as Vancauson looked upon his automaton. Rather, just as the physiologist accepts the human body as it is, so do I accept people as they are. I desire only to study and admire.

My attitude toward all other persons is well illustrated by this story from a celebrated traveler: He arrived one day in the midst of a tribe of savages, where a child had just been born. A crowd of soothsayers, magicians, and quacks - armed with rings, hooks, and cords - surrounded it. One said: "This child will never smell the perfume of a peace-pipe unless I stretch his nostrils." Another said: "He will never be able to hear unless I draw his ear-lobes down to his shoulders." A third said: "He will never see the sunshine unless I slant his eyes." Another said: "He will never stand upright unless I bend his legs." A fifth said: "He will never learn to think unless I flatten his skull."

"Stop," cried the traveler. "What God does is well done. Do not claim to know more than He. God has given organs to this frail creature; let them develop and grow strong by exercise, use, experience, and liberty."
-Frederic Bastiat "The Law"