The Law by Frédéric Bastiat
QR code
"The Law" by Frédéric Bastiat is an essay written in 1850. Bastiat argues that government's only legitimate purpose is to protect natural rights—life, liberty, and property. He warns that law becomes perverted when used to plunder citizens rather than defend them. The work examines how governments overstep their bounds, turning legal systems into tools of exploitation. Bastiat critiques socialism, tariffs, and slavery as forms of "legal plunder" that violate individual rights while
claiming moral authority. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Upload it on the Amazon site your Kindle is registered with: amazon.com/sendtokindle for the US, amazon.co.uk/sendtokindle for the UK etc.
- It appears on your Kindle and in the Kindle app
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
- Download the EPUB3 file on your computer
- Connect your e-reader by USB and tap "Connect" on its screen
- Drag the file onto the e-reader drive
Phone, Tablet or Computer → Online or Reading App
Easiest: read online in your browser. Nothing to install.
Or use a reading app:
- Find and install one you like, for example Apple Books, ReadEra or Thorium Reader
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Open it in the app
More help: iPhone / iPad · Android · Computer
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Bastiat, Frédéric, 1801-1850 |
|---|---|
| Uniform Title | La loi. English |
| Title | The Law |
| Note | Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Law_(Bastiat_book) |
| Credits |
Produced by David Widger from page scans generously provided by the Google Books Project, with a Creative Commons license granted by the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Auburn, Alabama |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 56.3 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | K: Law in general, Comparative and uniform law, Jurisprudence |
| Subject | Property |
| Subject | Law -- Philosophy |
| Subject | Justice, Administration of |
| Subject | Law and socialism |
| Subject | Socialism and liberty |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 44800 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-44800-8 |
| Release Date | Jan 30, 2014 |
| Last Update | Oct 24, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 1991 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!