Customer Reviews

The Law

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To read this essay knowing nothing of the author or when he wrote it, one would never guess that it was first published 150 years ago. This book is as timeless as ANY publication in human history. Bastiat demonstrates a thorough and flawless understanding of both the bright and dark sides of human nature, of the essential role each has played in the growth and divergence of collectivist and (18th century) liberal ideologies, and most importantly, the resulting tendency for government, in all of its most common manifestations, to grow and for liberty to yield. The principles proffered herein are the very genesis of the body of thought most commonly attributed to such brilliant authors as Milton Friedman, F. A. Hayek, Adam Smith, and Thomas Paine. Bastiat was the consummate humanitarian, and a genius with no peer. If you read no other book during your lifetime, read "The Law".

A Frenchman who lived during the 19th century, Bastiat was a journalist, an economist and a politician. The Law, his most famous work, is concerned primarily with economics, in the context of traditional values. A fantastic book!

It is impossible to read this book and not agree with him. How our world is in its current state while such compelling works exist is beyond me.

Reading "The Law" by Fredrick Batiat was a prerequisite in my economic class and there was no looking back in the comprehension of the true role of government. Using the rules of nature and moral law to persuade his readers, he uses terms like legalized plunder to establish that plunder is still plunder whether it hides behind a law or not. He explains that plunder has three ways it manifests itself. You can plunder the few, none, or all, and from this he pushes his argument that allow for none or all to be plundered but the few is unacceptable. He attacks issues like minimum wage and welfare 100 years before the problems of these issues entered the minds of politicians. Even though he died in his early thirties, his life was dedicated to combat communism by contradicting the statements of Marx through moral law. Bastiat was one of the first writers to execute coversation in laymans terms so that the masses could be swayed. The law is an example o! ! f this type of literature, and I applaud such an eloquent piece of work

Wow! Frederic Bastiat's razor sharp sense of wit and logic really cuts through all of the foggy metaphors and sloppy verbiage that plagued so many other of his 19th century counterparts(and many of today's so-called "intellectuals"). He wastes no time slaughtering sacred cows with an acid prose so dead-on that its likely to cause heart palpitations in any ivory tower professor that reads him. Should be required reading for any new college student about to sink into the amoral P.C. sludge on America's campuses. Definitely a kick in that fundament.

Coming out of college I was a sign-carrying, protesting liberal. Then I read The Law. No book has had such a profound impact on my political thought process. I submit to you that it is impossible to read this book and remain bogged down in the illogical arena of modern-day liberalism. I have purchase and distributed over 100 copies of this book to friends and politicians

When it seems that government is involving itself in matters that it should not, but you are not quite sure, then read, "The Law". You will have an understanding of all politics and know where politics should go for the future of our country. These most basic principles apply to all men, all countries, and all times. I have bought copies and distributed them to freinds and associates. If you would read this one book, I would not ask that you read any other

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 Bastiat's call to arms(by casting ignorance aside)against those who would inflict socialism's 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, Bastiat's 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 student's 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 1800's. Few Harvard graduates today could have entered the Harvard freshman class in the 1600's! *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.

Bastiat's 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