Since the law organizes justice, the socialists ask why the law should not also organize labor, education, and religion. Why should not law be used for these purposes Because it could not organize labor, education, and religion without destroying justice. We must remember that law is force, and that, consequently, the proper functions of the law cannot lawfully extend beyond the proper functions of force. When law and force keep a person within the bounds of justice, they impose nothing but a mere negation. They oblige him only to abstain from harming others. They violate neither his personality, his liberty, nor his property. They safeguard all of these. They are defensive they defend equally the rights of all.
More Quotes from Claude Frédéric Bastiat:
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.Claude Frédéric Bastiat
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 desirelearned from the teachings of antiquitythat 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.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
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.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
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.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
It is easier to show the disorder that must accompany reform than the order that should follow it.
Claude Frédéric Bastiat
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Based on Topics: Education Quotes, Justice Quotes, Labor Quotes, Law & Regulation Quotes, Liberty & Freedom Quotes, Property Quotes, Religions & Spirituality QuotesBased on Keywords: harming, lawfully, negation, oblige, organizes
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