Table of Contents
How does Bastiat describe the law?
The law has placed the collective force at the disposal of the unscrupulous who wish, without risk, to exploit the person, liberty, and property of others. It has converted plunder into a right, in order to protect plunder. And it has converted lawful defense into a crime, in order to punish lawful defense.
When was the law written Bastiat?
1850
The Law was originally published as a pamphlet in 1850 by Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850). Bastiat wrote most of his work in the few years before and after the French Revolution of 1848. The Law is considered a classic and his ideas are still relevant today. The essay was published in French in 1850.
What did Frederic Bastiat believe?
He championed free trade and believed governments possessed no legitimate power beyond protecting individual rights. Bastiat was elected to the national legislative assembly soon after the French Revolution of 1848.
When law and morality contradict each other the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense or losing his respect for the law?
When law and morality contradict each other, the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense or losing his respect for the law. These two evils are of equal consequence, and it would be difficult for a person to choose between them. The nature of law is to maintain justice.
What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen Bastiat?
The State opens a road, builds a palace, straightens a street, cuts a canal; and so gives work to certain workmen — this is what is seen: but it deprives certain other workmen of work, and this is what is not seen.
What is Bastiat known for?
Bastiat was known for identifying flaws in protectionism, the theory or practice of taxing imported goods to shield a country’s domestic industries from foreign competition. He was equally known for his use of satire to shed light on political and economic principles.
What is the relationship between law and justice?
“Both law and justice are concerned with the basic good of the human person.” Legge said the more important argument was about not violating basic moral law. “Moral theology is about what’s good for the human person, and that means that our laws should be framed with what the human person is.
What was the overall point of Bastiat’s parable of the broken window?
The parable used in the broken window fallacy illustrates the negative economic effects of going to war: money is diverted from creating consumer goods and services to creating weapons, and money is further spent on repairing the damages from a war.
What would be the opportunity cost of a new public highway?
The opportunity cost of costructing a new public highway is the: Value of other goods and services that are sacrifieced in order to construct the new highway. The opportunity cost to a consumer who smokes cigarettes consists of the: Products that the consumer could have bought instead of cigarettes.