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Quote by William E. Gladstone

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William E. Gladstone
William E. Gladstone

William E. Gladstone was a British statesman who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and was a leading figure in the Liberal Party. He was active in British politics for half a century and is known for his steadfast liberal stance and reformist spirit. more

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“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.”

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Author:Frederic Bastiat
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“Men naturally rebel against the injustice of which they are victims. Thus, when plunder is organized by law for the profit of those who make the law, all the plundered classes try somehow to enter, by peaceful or revolutionary means, into the making of laws. According to their degree of enlightenment, these plundered classes may propose one of two entirely different purposes when they attempt to attain political power: Either they may wish to stop lawful plunder, or they may wish to share in it.”

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Book:The Law
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“The people who, during the election, were so wise, so moral, so perfect, now have no tendencies whatever; or if they have any, they are tendencies that lead downward to degradation. . . . If people are as incapable, as immoral, and as ignorant as the politicians indicate, then why is the right of these same people to vote defended with such passionate insistence?”

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Author:Frederic Bastiat
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“The mission of the law is not to oppress persons and plunder them of their property, even though the law may be acting in a philanthropic spirit. Its purpose is to protect persons and property.... If you exceed this proper limit -- if you attempt to make the law religious, fraternal, equalizing, philanthropic, industrial, or artistic -- you will then be lost in uncharted territory, in vagueness and uncertainty, in a forced utopia or, even worse, in a multitude of utopias, each striving to seize the law and impose it on you.”

IfsMayPersonsLawSpiritPurposeLostReligiousActingProtectLimitsPropertyStriveMissionsArtisticUncertaintyTerritoryMultitudesExceedUtopiaPhilanthropicPlunderUnchartedVaguenessFraternalUncharted Territory
Author:Frederic Bastiat
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