Each of us has a natural right, from God, to defend his person, his liberty, and his property. — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
Property does not exist because there are laws, but laws exist because there is property. — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
It is not true that the legislator has absolute power over our persons and property. The existence of persons and property preceded… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
The mission of law is not to oppress persons and plunder them of their property, even thought the law may be acting… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
Life, faculties, production-in other words, individuality, liberty, property-this is man. And in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
As long as it is admitted that the law may be diverted from its true purpose--that it may violate property instead of… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
Try to imagine a system of labor imposed by force that is not a violation of liberty; a transfer of wealth imposed… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
It is not true that the legislator has absolute power over our persons and property, since they pre-exist, and his work is… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
In fact, if law were restricted to protecting all persons, all liberties, and all properties; if law were nothing more than the… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
If every person has the right to defend - even by force - his person, his liberty, and his property, then it… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
I believe that my theory is correct; for whatever be the question upon which I am arguing, whether it be religious, philosophical,… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
It is easy to understand why the law is used by the legislator to destroy in varying degrees among the rest of… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain - and since labor is pain in itself - it follows that men… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
The mission of the law is not to oppress persons and plunder them of their property, even though the law may be… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
Property, the right to enjoy the fruits of one's labor, the right to work, to develop, to exercise one's faculties, according to… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share Image
The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder. — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
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… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
If every person has the right to defend - even by force - his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
Slavery, protection, and monopoly find defenders, not only in those who profit by them, but in those who suffer by them. — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
Here I encounter the most popular fallacy of our times. It is not considered sufficient that the law should guarantee to every citizen the… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else. — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
There is in all of a strong disposition to believe that anything lawful is also legitimate. This belief is so widespread that many persons… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
I believe that my theory is correct; for whatever be the question upon which I am arguing, whether it be religious, philosophical, political, or… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
There are people who think that plunder loses all its immorality as soon as it becomes legal. Personally, I cannot imagine a more alarming… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
“And now, after having vainly inflicted upon the social body so many systems, let them end where they ought to have begun—reject all systems,… — Frédéric Bastiat Copy Share
When misguided public opinion honors what is despicable and despises what is honorable, punishes virtue and rewards vice, encourages what is harmful and discourages… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good… — Frederic Bastiat Copy Share
