Essays on Political Economy is a collection of essays by French economist and writer Frederic Bastiat. The book contains a series of essays that provide an insightful analysis of the political and economic systems of his time. Bastiat was a firm believer in the principles of classical liberalism and free-market economics, and his essays reflect these views. In his writing, he criticizes government intervention in economic affairs and champions the virtues of individual liberty, free trade, and property rights. He argues that government intervention in the economy, such as tariffs and subsidies, creates inefficiencies and leads to economic inequality. One of the most famous essays in the collection is "The Law," which presents Bastiat's view on the role of government in society. Other notable essays in the collection include "That Which Is Seen and That Which Is Not Seen," which highlights the unseen costs of government intervention, and "The State," which critiques the idea that the state is a self-sufficient entity. Essays on Political Economy is an influential work in the history of economic thought, and it remains relevant today as a defense of classical liberal economic principles.
Claude-Frédéric Bastiat was a French economist, writer, and member of the French Liberal School. He was born on 30 June 1801 in Bayonne, Aquitaine, a port town on the Bay of Biscay. His work The Law, in which he made the case that the law should safeguard rights like private property rather than "plunder," made him the most well-known author.
His mother passed away when he was seven years old, and his father, Pierre Bastiat, was a well-known businessman. He acquired academic interests in a variety of subjects, including politics, philosophy, and religion.
Bastiat died in 1850 from TB, most likely while on one of his trips around France. Before passing away on December 24, 1850, he muttered "the truth" twice. He stated in The Law, "I shall preach this idea with all the might of my lungs till the day of my death."
Bastiat passed away in Rome and is buried at San Luigi dei Francesi in the heart of the city. On his deathbed, he stated that his close friend Gustave de Molinari, who published Bastiat's book The Law in 1850, was his spiritual heir.
