A Defense of Paternal Government

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　Bossuet carries this idea of the state as the source of allprogress even so far as to defend the Egyptians against the chargethat they rejected wrestling and music. He said:

　　""How is that possible? These arts were invented by Trismegistus[who was alleged to have been Chancellor to the Egyptiangod Osiris]". And again among the Persians, Bossuet claims that all comes fromabove:

　　 "One of the first responsibilities of the prince was toencourage agriculture.... Just as there were offices established forthe regulation of armies, just so were there offices for the directionof farm work.... The Persian people were inspired with anoverwhelming respect for royal authority."

　　And according to Bossuet, the Greek people, although exceedinglyintelligent, had no sense of personal responsibility; like dogs andhorses, they themselves could not have invented the most simple games:

　　 "The Greeks, naturally intelligent and courageous, had beenearly cultivated by the kings and settlers who had come from Egypt.From these Egyptian rulers, the Greek people had learned bodilyexercises, foot races, and horse and chariot races.... But the bestthing that the Egyptians had taught the Greeks was to become docile,and to permit themselves to be formed by the law for the publicgood."