The Law – Frédéric Bastiat

"The law is the organization of the natural right of lawful defense."

Writing in the aftermath of the 1848 French Revolution, Frédéric Bastiat argues that the only legitimate function of the law is to protect the individual rights of life, liberty, and property. He attacks 'legal plunder', where the state is used by some to seize the property of others through tariffs, subsidies, and welfare programs.

Bastiat's pamphlet is a classic of libertarian thought. Written with clarity and passion, it is a timeless defense of limited government and free markets, warning against the dangers of socialism and the corruption of the law for political ends.