Quotessence
Home / Authors / Frederic Bastiat
Frederic Bastiat

Frederic Bastiat Quotes

Economist

Filter quotes by topic

AllLibertyLawPlunderEconomicsIfsLibertarianPropertyEconomicGovernmentMenPersonsPoliticalDoeLaborPoliticsStatesIndividualJusticePeopleEconomy

Famous Frederic Bastiat Quotes

“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.”

IfsGivingStillsFormLawPoliticalPassionPoliticsViewsEconomyEffectsInspireTaughtMoralityConflictImportanceSlaveryPoint Of ViewOppressionTragicMonopolySanctionsExaggeratedPerversionRobberyPolitical EconomySupposition
Author:Frederic Bastiat
Create image

“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.”

MayUseRunningOrderCoursesPoliticsProcessNaturalResponsibilityEconomyProductsResourcesCreatorAccomplishVarietyDevelopingLiberalismCollectionsMidstFacultyApplicationMarvelousNatural Resources
Book:The Law
Create image

“In an economy, an act, a habit, an institution, or a law, gives birth not only to an effect, but to a series of effects. Of these effects, the first only is immediate; it manifests itself simultaneously with its cause - it is seen. The others unfold in succession - they are not seen. Now this difference is enormous, for it is often true that when the immediate consequence is favorable, the ultimate consequences are fatal, and the converse.”

GivingFirstsLawCausesDifferencesEconomyEffectsBirthHabitConsequenceUltimateInstitutionsSeriesInvestingEnormousSuccessionConverses
Author:Frederic Bastiat
Create image

“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”

MenFirstsMadeFactsLawPoliticsLibertyEconomyPropertyLibertarianContraryLiberalismFreedom And LibertyFreedom LibertyPrivate PropertyProperty RightsEconomic FreedomFounding Fathers DemocracyVoting Founding FathersProperty Ownership
Book:The Law
Create image