Open Wiki Open WikiOpen InfoG Open InfoGNew Quote New Quote

Quote from Frederic Bastiat,

"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."



By:

Frederic Bastiat (more quotes by Frederic Bastiat or books by/about Frederic Bastiat)


(1801-1850) [Claude Frederic Bastiat] French economist, statesman, and author. He did most of his writing during the years just before -- and immediately following -- the French Revolution of February 1848

Source:

"The Law" by Frederic Bastiat (1850)
<a href=http://liberty-tree.ca/research/TheLaw>http://liberty-tree.ca/research/TheLaw</a>

Categories:

Law, Oppression, Plunder, Property, Protection, Usurpation, Utopia

Rating:

Get a Quote-A-Day!
Liberty Quotes sent to your mail box.
Email:  More quotes...