Actually, what is the political struggle that we witness It is the instinctive struggle of all people toward liberty. And what is this liberty, whose very name makes the heart beat faster and shakes the world Is it not the union of all liberties liberty of conscience, of education, of association, of the press, of travel, of labor, of trade In short, is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so Is not liberty the destruction of all despotismincluding, of course, legal despotism Finally, is not liberty the restricting of the law only to its rational sphere of organizing the right of the individual to lawful self-defense of punishing injustice.
More Quotes from Claude Frédéric Bastiat:
The worst thing that can happen to a good cause is, not to be skillfully attacked, but to be ineptly defended.Claude Frédéric Bastiat
People are beginning to realize that the apparatus of government is costly. But what they do not know is that the burden falls inevitably on them.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
But when the law, by means of its necessary agent, force, imposes upon men a regulation of labor, a method or a subject of education, a religious faith or creed then the law is no longer negative it acts positively upon people. It substitutes the will of the legislator for their own wills, the initiative of the legislator for their own initiatives. When this happens, the people no longer need to discuss, to compare and to plan ahead the law does all this for them. Intelligence becomes a useless prop for the people they cease to be men they lose their personality, their liberty, their property.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
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.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
The sort of dependence that results from exchange, i.e., from commercial transactions, is a reciprocal dependence. We cannot be dependent upon a foreigner without his being dependent on us. Now, this is what constitutes the very essence of society. To sever natural interrelations is not to make oneself independent, but to isolate oneself completely.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
The harmlessness of the mission performed by law and lawful defense is self-evident the usefulness is obvious and the legitimacy cannot be disputed.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
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Based on Topics: Business & Commerce Quotes, Conscience Quotes, Education Quotes, Labor Quotes, Law & Regulation Quotes, Liberty & Freedom Quotes, Politics Quotes, Punishment Quotes, Travel Quotes, World QuotesBased on Keywords: despotism, restricting
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