The Law

Prescient book for what happened to the U.S. At the time this book was written, the author considered the U.S. one of the most just nations, but he described perfectly what happens, and did happen, when you have an increase in the size of government, and the power of the legislators to legally plunder the citizens through the laws they enact.

This book is an interesting read. It can be little difficult to follow sometimes because of the authors reference to other historical people and economists of the period (1850). The author was French and this book has been translated (quite well, I think). The book is only 88 pages and I got through it in a few hours. Im sure if I were interested, I could have gone more slowly and taken notes or researched the people the author referenced. If you are interested in Libertarian ideas or believe that the government has become too big, powerful and intrusive, you will probably like this book. While Im not a Libertarian, Im a fan of economics and probably lean a little Austrian School and I enjoyed reading this book. Keynesians will probably like this book, Marxists...not so much. I hope this review was useful to you!

This book is an essay by French economist Frederic Bastiat written in 1850. The book clearly explains the true role of law in a free society and critiques the perversion of law by socialists and collectivists. The law should exist to collectively provide defense of liberty, property, and individual rights. The law is perverted when it does other things which inevitably infringe on liberty, property, and individual rights--no matter how noble or charitable on the surface. The book makes clear so much of what is wrong with US government today and once again proves there is nothing new under the sun.

This was written in 1850, just after the 1848 revolution in France. Bastiat was concerned by all the different groups that were trying to use The Law or in Hayeks words, The State to remake society into their vision of a more perfect society. Bastiat argues that trying to use the law to help out one group does so at the expense of another group, he calls this legal plunder and points out how in the long run this will ruin society. Bastiat starts off saying that the basic gifts man has from God are: life, liberty, and property. It is appropriate and correct to defend yourself, your liberty, and your property. The Law was created to ensure that individuals in society were allowed to use these gifts. Bastiat says that unfortunately The Law is abused by the greed and false philanthropy of man. There are two basic ways of getting ahead in life, the first is to work hard and produce, the second is to plunder from others. When trade off and risks for plunder are better than labor, many people will turn to plunder. It is very tempting for those who make laws to use the law to plunder. Bastiat says legal plunder is to use the law to take property, which if was done without the benefit of the law would have been considered a crime. He has some fairly pointed barbs at socialists. He says many of the writers at his time seem to view people as raw material, to be formed or controlled. He says that most socialists see mankind as evil, while they (the socialists) are good. This leads the socialists to feeling justified in using The Law to make mankind be good. Bastiat asks why so many people in government feel that mankind makes too many mistakes, but that they in government are nobler and will make better choices. This is short, and because the original format was a pamphlet, Bastiat acknowledges that it is not complete. So many of his points and arguments are brief. This is a good call to action, to encourage people to be more informed about their government, and to work to limit the government. So much of what Bastiat said long ago is still true.

This short book (about 55 pages) just confirms the old adage that some things never change. King Solomon wrote centuries ago that there is nothing new under the son while in other places it explains selfish self serving politicians cant be trusted. Still other scriptures explain, mankind is inherently selfish, self-serving motivated by greed, fame and fortune. I dont know if the author was a Christian as I have only made it to page 30 with highlighted sections on almost every page. But he was definitely a fan of the freedoms promised to Americans in the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. How little did he know that the southern Democrats would start the US civil war that would prove where ever Socialists get elected into office, its just a matter of time before their elitest Jim Crow like laws will steal citizens liberty. Self serving corrupt politicians believe their intelligence is superior to their subjects and will say anything to convince the masses that with empty promises of equality their edicts will lead to prosperity. Instead it leads to insecurity, oppression, servitude and poverty of the masses. If you dont understand how or why the Socialist agenda always leads to a society of enslaved subjects this book will explain it in plain English. If only it was required reading for every American that was seeking a job at all levels of government and every branch of government. Maybe than Americans liberty would not be vanishing like a sunset over the horizon before your last breath on earth. The timeless truths of scripture of the sinful and corrupt nature of man governing with selfish desire and control were confirmed in biblical times. Again in the 1850s by this author and are today on every MSM news show around the globe. Godless men governing by pride, selfish control and desire seem to infect and destroy every country, and its peoples hope to survive tyranny from dictators around the globe. Sin is a heart condition that is only subdued by an intentional personal relationship with Jesus Christ as mankind learns to love others as themselves and seek what is right, true and honest for all of Gods creation. Partisan politics promoting class warfare, hate, violence, and the Socialist religions based on mans theories (evolution, class warfare, lawlessness, sexual promiscuity, population control, climate change, CRT, etc) in every country around the globe inevitably result in oppression, persecution, depression and death of the people at the hands of dictators and tyrants. Read this book and maybe youll begin to understand why the socialist agenda always creates this vicious cycle of hatred and oppression that kills every nation infected by these socialist poisons promoted to the people while protecting the selfish interests of the wealthy tyrants in charge. If Gods people will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, God will hear their prayers and heal their land.

This is a short read, written a few hundred years ago, written by a guy who understood the changes he was seeing around him. Unfortunately, those same agents of change are around today. Give a copy of this to a friend who maybe sees the light, but dimly. This pamphlet can fully open his or her eyes.

If you have no idea what Libertarianism is and would like to understand, this would be a wonderful book for you. I got my mom to read it and she loved it. Its only around 70 pages, so its really short. But there is so much philosophy in here that it will blow your mind. If I could add any one book to the high school curriculum throughout the U.S., it would be this book. The title of the book is called The Law. The title gives away the whole message. Bastiat shares his views on what the function of law should be in any society. Here is the folly that we have committed in this modern day of legislation - Here I encounter the most popular fallacy of our

Bastiat hit a home run with this excellent book. It should be required reading in every school. Bastiat lays out what liberty and the law means in simple terms. There are few books that are done this well on such an important topic.

Excellent overview of what the role of law is in the society and how it has been morphed into a tool of power by people who think they know better how people ought to behave. Must read.

Though not light reading by any means, this essay is something that should be taught in all high school class rooms around America. His point (which is repeated candidly many times) is that Law is there for structure and protection, not to redistribute wealth among social classes. History has shown us that this idea is one that ultimately fails, and this essay by a 19th century Frenchman explains why in broad terms. No matter your personal political views, one should attempt a read of The Law. If nothing else, you can see the other sides perspective.