The Law (1850) by Frédéric Bastiat, revised Liberty Fund edition
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- Title
- The Law (1850) by Frédéric Bastiat, revised Liberty Fund edition
- Author
- Fr
- Publication year listed
- 1850
- Format
- Public domain eBook
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- Free online reader; no registration required
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- View on Archive.org
About this book
The Law (1850) by Frédéric Bastiat, revised Liberty Fund edition
Author: Frédéric Bastiat
Year: 1850
Bastiat, Frédéric. The Law . Translated by Dennis O'Keeffe, revised by David M. Hart, Liberty Fund, 2018. Originally published 1850. AP/IB Student Analysis of The Law by Frédéric Bastiat (1850) 1. Historical and Political Context Bastiat wrote The Law in June 1850 amid the political upheaval following the 1848 French Revolution and during the short-lived Second Republic. France was grappling with socialism, class struggle, the expansion of suffrage, and debates about the proper role of government. Bastiat, a classical liberal and member of the National Assembly, responded to what he saw as a perversion of the law—especially socialism and protectionism—by articulating a defense of individual liberty and property. 2. Legal Philosophy and Foundations Bastiat grounds his legal theory in natural law . He argues that life, liberty, and property are pre-political, God-given rights that precede the state. Law, therefore, should exist only to protect these rights. He opposes positive law when it contradicts natural law—particularly when laws are used to redistribute property unjustly or support state-sanctioned "legal plunder." 3. Moral Framework and Justice Justice for Bastiat is synonymou