Society is composed of men, and every man is a FREE agent. Since man is free, he can choose; since he can… — Frederic Bastiat Agents Copy Share Image
Nothing is more senseless than to base so many expectations on the state, that is, to assume the existence of collective wisdom… — Frederic Bastiat Assuming Copy Share Image
The sort of dependence that results from exchange, i.e., from commercial transactions, is a reciprocal dependence. We cannot be dependent upon a… — Frederic Bastiat Dependence Copy Share Image
And this is what has taken place. The delusion of the day is to enrich all classes at the expense of each… — Frederic Bastiat Class Copy Share Image
It is impossible to introduce into society a greater change and a greater evil than this: the conversion of the law into… — Frederic Bastiat Change Copy Share Image
“I do not think that illegal plunder, such as theft or swindling — which the penal code defines, anticipates, and punishes —… — Frédéric Bastiat Law Copy Share Image
Finally, is not liberty the restricting of the law only to its rational sphere of organizing the right of the individual to… — Frederic Bastiat Defense Copy Share Image
“In the first place, the word universal conceals a gross sophism.” — Frédéric Bastiat First place 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 Cunning Copy Share Image
“It is not because men have made laws, that personality, liberty, and property exist. On the contrary, it is because personality, liberty,… — Frédéric Bastiat Freedom Copy Share Image
“What, then, is law? As I have said elsewhere, it is the collective organization of the individual right to lawful defence.” — Frédéric Bastiat Law Copy Share Image
They would be the shepherds over us, their sheep. Certainly such an arrangement presupposes that they are naturally superior to the rest… — Frederic Bastiat Arrangements Copy Share Image
“Do not the legislators and their agents form a part of the human race? Do they consider that they are composed of… — Frédéric Bastiat Human race Copy Share Image
The law can be an instrument of equalization only as it takes from some persons and gives to other persons. When the… — Frederic Bastiat Doe Copy Share Image
“We must admit that our opponents in this argument have a marked advantage over us. They need only a few words to… — Frédéric 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 Benefits Copy Share Image
Treat all economic questions from the viewpoint of the consumer, for the interests of the consumer are the interests of the human… — Frederic Bastiat Consumers Copy Share Image
Countries which enjoy the highest level of peace, happiness and prosperity are the ones where the law least interfered with private affairs. — Frederic Bastiat Affair Copy Share Image
The real cost of the State is the prosperity we do not see, the jobs that don’t exist, the technologies to which… — Frederic Bastiat Access 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 Agree Copy Share Image
It is indeed a singular thing that people wish to pass laws to nullify the disagreeable consequences that the law of responsibility… — Frederic Bastiat Consequence Copy Share Image
“In the first place, it would efface from everybody’s conscience the distinction between justice and injustice. No society can exist unless the… — Frédéric Bastiat Character Copy Share Image
Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty,… — Frederic Bastiat First place Copy Share Image
