Frederic Bastiat Quotes - Page 5

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• The profit of the one is the profit of the other.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Profit

  "Economic Harmonies". Book by Frédéric Bastiat, 1850.

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• Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain - and since labor is pain in itself - it follows that men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work. History shows this quite clearly. And under these conditions, neither religion nor morality can stop it. When, then, does plunder stop? It stops when it becomes more painful and more dangerous than labor. It is evident, then, that the proper purpose of law is to use the power of its collective force to stop this fatal tendency to plunder instead of to work. All the measures of the law should protect property and punish plunder.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Pain, Men, Law

  "La Loi (The Law)". Book by Frederic Bastiat, 1850.

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• You compare the nation to a parched piece of land and the tax to a life-giving rain. So be it. But you should also ask yourself where this rain comes from, and whether it is not precisely the tax that draws the moisture from the soil and dries it up. You should also ask yourself further whether the soil receives more of this precious water from the rain than it loses by the evaporation?

  Frederic Bastiat

  Rain, Land, Giving

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• But life cannot maintain itself alone. The Creator of life has entrusted us with the responsibility of preserving, developing, and perfecting it. In order that we may accomplish this, He has provided us with a collection of marvelous faculties. And He has put us in the midst of a variety of natural resources. By the application of our faculties to these natural resources we convert them into products, and use them. The process is necessary in order that life may run its appointed course.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Running, Responsibility, Order

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.3, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

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• In fact, if law were restricted to protecting all persons, all liberties, and all properties; if law were nothing more than the organized combination of the individual's right to self-defense; if law were the obstacle, the check, the punisher of all oppression and plunder - is it likely that we citizens would then argue much about the extent of the franchise?

  Frederic Bastiat

  Self, Law, Liberty

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.14, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

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• It is easier to show the disorder that must accompany reform than the order that should follow it.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Order, Society, Reform

  "Economic Sophisms". Book by Frederic Bastiat (translated), 1845.

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• We cannot doubt that self-interest is the mainspring of human nature. It must be clearly understood that this word is used here to designate a universal, incontestable fact, resulting from the nature of man, and not an adverse judgment, as would be the word selfishness.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Men, Self, Doubt

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• There is not a tool, an implement, or a machine that has not resulted in a decrease in the contribution of human labor. Labor is not made permanently idle [though]; when replaced in one special category... it turns its attack against other obstacles on the main road to progress.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Special, Progress, Tools

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• When goods do not cross borders, soldiers will.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Soldier, Liberty, Borders

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• When under the pretext of fraternity, the legal code imposes mutual sacrifices on the citizens, human nature is not thereby abrogated. Everyone will then direct his efforts toward contributing little to, and taking much from, the common fund of sacrifices. Now, is it the most unfortunate who gains from this struggle? Certainly not, but rather the most influential and calculating.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Struggle, Sacrifice, Effort

  "Justice and fraternity". Journal des Économistes, June 15, 1848.

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• If everyone enjoyed the unrestricted use of his faculties and the free disposition of the fruits of his labor, social progress would be ceaseless, uninterrupted, and unfailing.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Progress, Would Be, Use

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.7, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

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• Thus, if there exists a law which sanctions slavery or monopoly, oppression or robbery, in any form whatever, it must not even be mentioned. For how can it be mentioned without damaging the respect which it inspires? Still further, morality and political economy must be taught from the point of view of this law; from the supposition that it must be a just law merely because it is a law. Another effect of this tragic perversion of the law is that it gives an exaggerated importance to political passions and conflicts, and to politics in general.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Passion, Views, Law

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• It must be admitted that the tendency of the human race toward liberty is largely thwarted, especially in France. This is greatly due to a fatal desire-learned from the teachings of antiquity-that our writers on public affairs have in common: They desire to set themselves above mankind in order to arrange, organize, and regulate it according to their fancy.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Teaching, Learning, Race

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.41, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Either fraternity is spontaneous, or it does not exist. To decree it is to annihilate it. The law can indeed force men to remain just; in vain would it try to force them to be self-sacrificing.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Sacrifice, Men, Self

  "Justice and Fraternity". Journal des Économistes, June 15, 1848.

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• Law is justice. And it is under the law of justice - under the reign of right; under the influence of liberty, safety, stability, and responsibility - that every person will attain his real worth and the true dignity of his being. It is only under this law of justice that mankind will achieve - slowly, no doubt, but certainly - God's design for the orderly and peaceful progress of humanity.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Peace, Real, Responsibility

  "La Loi (The Law)". Book by Frederic Bastiat, 1850.

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• No legal plunder: This is the principle of justice, peace, order, stability, harmony, and logic. Until the day of my death, I shall proclaim this principle with all the force of my lungs (which alas! is all too inadequate).

  Frederic Bastiat

  Order, Justice, Liberty

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.19, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Law cannot organize labor and industry without organizing injustice.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Law, Injustice, Organize

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.23, Cosimo, Inc.

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• In war, the stronger overcomes the weaker. In business, the stronger imparts strength to the weaker.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Business, War, Stronger

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• We hold from God the gift which includes all others. This gift is life - physical, intellectual, and moral life.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Wisdom, Intellectual, Politics

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.3, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

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• Man acquires wealth in proportion as he puts his labor to better account.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Men, Wealth, Proportion

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• The creation of new capital always... releases... labor. Its actual effect [though] is not to make jobs scarce, but to free men's labor for other jobs.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Jobs, Men, Creation

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• Let us first of all frugality in government-peace and freedom we will have as a bonus.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Philosophy, Government, Political

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• Law is justice. In this proposition a simple and enduring government can be conceived. And I defy anyone to say how even the thought of revolution, of insurrection, of the slightest uprising could arise against a government whose organized force was confined only to suppressing injustice.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Simple, Government, Law

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.55, Cosimo, Inc.

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• As proof of this statement, consider this question: Have the people ever been known to rise against the Court of Appeals, or mob a Justice of the Peace, in order to get higher wages, free credit, tools of production, favorable tariffs, or government-created jobs? Everyone knows perfectly well that such matters are not within the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals or a Justice of the Peace. And if government were limited to its proper functions, everyone would soon learn that these matters are not within the jurisdiction of the law itself.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Jobs, Government, Order

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• [To learn] is to harness Nature; to spare man all that is most physical, backbreaking, and brutish in the work of production; to make mind master over matter.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Men, Mind, Matter

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