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The Law

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The Law

By: Frédéric Bastiat
Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
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First published as a pamphlet in June 1850, The Law is already well over 150 years old, and it will still be read when another century has passed.

America now faces the same situation France did in 1848 and the same socialist-communist plans and ideas adopted there are now sweeping America—the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe notwithstanding. Bastiat's explanation of and arguments against socialism are as valid today as they were when written, and his ideas deserve serious consideration.

"Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all. We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain."—Fr├®d├®ric Bastiat

©1950 Dean Russell (P)1990 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Law Political Science Politics & Government United States World Classics Socialism Taxation Capitalism
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Critic reviews

“Full of truths that are not merely relevant but are absolutely vital to our future.”

(Dick Armey, former majority leader, US House of Representatives)

“No work before or since has made such a compelling case for freedom. Bastiat’s message will influence students of liberty for years to come.”

(Laissez Faire Books)
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Frederic Bastiat's The Law is a timeless argument for liberty and a government limited to protecting the natural rights of the individual.

A timeless argument for liberty

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What is law and what is justice? Where law become unjust? Author dives deeply into the subject and clearly draws a line between just and unjust law

Brillant and logical approach to justice and law

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it is interesting how we seem to deal with the same issues over and over you throughout the centuries. very insightful book.

very interesting book

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Created near on 200 hundred years ago, this man saw the world as it is

Bastiat saw the world as it is

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Renowned for being one of the "must reads" on political theory, with particular focus on the limits of state interference in the individual liberty of man and an attack on socialism in the context of the events surrounding the author's life at the time of writing.

A quick read for someone looking for an introduction to Libertarianism without perhaps prematurely going into a long, dense political theory book.

Good book on minarchism branch of libertarianism

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