The Law by Frederic Bastiat (1850)
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The writings of Bastiat inform the public about how corrupt our governments have become, and although it was written almost 200 years ago, is still very much applicable today. Our original government was put in place to retain the individuality, liberty, and property of all individuals underneath it however, over time, specific individuals have used that power for their own selfish needs. If it is in our human nature to meet our needs and desire before others, how will there ever be a society in which no one argues with the government or joins it to advance their personal interests?
I am of the opinion that there is no possible governance in which every individual is pleased. There will always be someone on the wrong end of the deal, whether it’s the losing team at a football game, an artist signing with a new record label, or civilians affected by new legislation. And even if we did have legislation in which the majority of individuals were pleased, there would still be a minority whose needs were not being met. If there is a majority whose needs and ideas are represented, that group will always use the power of their population for evil and greed. Over time, this process can create larger and larger gaps between people’s opinions and needs, creating a polarized society. That is what we are becoming and quite frankly, it was Basitait’s prediction, and we may never get out.
I agree that power in numbers is not applicable to every situation like Bastiat wrote, “since no individual acting separately can lawfully use force to destroy the rights of others, does it logically follow that the same principle also applies to the common force that is nothing more than the organized combination of individual forces” (Bastiat, 2004). In other words, one bank robber versus five bank robbers working as a team ought to receive the same punishment. Just because they are working for the benefit of multiple people, does not mean that it is more ethical for the group to rob a bank compared to a single robber by himself. This idea may be applied to all of Bastiat’s basic requirements of life: person, liberty, and property. So why then is it ethical for men to infringe taxes on others men? The answer is because we all benefit eventually. Taxes paid towards the military ensure that we remain safe against attacks and war from opposing countries. Taxes paid to infrastructure ensure our roadways and bridges are safe for travel. Although Bastiat views taxation as legal plunder, I see it as universal funding that is beneficial to all. This is a forward-looking idea, that our tax dollars will benefit people of the future.
I think that Bastiat made some great points throughout his pamphlet, and it truly amazes me how well he foresaw the future. However, his idea of almost zero governance is rather extreme to me. I understand the idea that government creates a force working for the needs of one group over individual needs, however, I just cannot come to terms with a society where it is “every man for himself.” I like teamwork, I like belonging to a family, and I think being a part of something is significant to a lot of people. I think that the law is just as important as rules in a second-grade classroom. And if an individual disobeys the law they ought to be punished to keep from having this issue again. In the second-grade classroom, this might be time out, but for society, there are many viable forms of deterrence. I do not think that punishment is bad, as long as it is working for the benefit and safety of the greater good. If we have no laws and regulations, our cities could become a bunch of second graders without adult supervision, running around like crazy. If the issue of government is that it is often misused for legal plunder, how can we eradicate plunderous actions without any governance at all?
Bastiat Frédéric, et al. The Law. Foundation for Economic Education, 2004.