Essays on Political Economy by Frédéric Bastiat
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"Essays on Political Economy" by Frédéric Bastiat is a collection of economic essays written in the mid-19th century. The work critically examines the principles surrounding capital, interest, and the impact of governmental policies on society and economics. Bastiat argues against the prevalent ideology that views the charging of interest as unjust, and emphasizes the natural, lawful role of interest in economic transactions and society. At the start of the text, Bastiat introduces
the concept of interest, addressing concerns held by socialists and reformers who consider it a form of exploitation. He engages with challenging questions regarding whether capital should yield interest, and if such interest should be perpetual. Through examples, such as the economic implications of lending a sack of corn or a plane, he illustrates the reciprocal nature of lending and borrowing. Bastiat articulates that denying interest undermines the incentives for saving and capital production, ultimately harming the very laborers that socialists aim to protect. He sets the stage for a broader discussion on economic interactions and advocates for a free market approach that favors individuals' rights to their gains. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Bastiat, Frédéric, 1801-1850 |
|---|---|
| Title | Essays on Political Economy |
| Credits | Produced by Distributed Proofreaders |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 66.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | HB: Social sciences: Economic theory, Demography |
| Subject | Economics |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 15962 |
| Release Date | May 31, 2005 |
| Last Update | Dec 14, 2020 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 770 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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