A Frightful Idea

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　Those who are subject to vulgar infatuation may exclaim:"Montesquieu has said this! So it's magnificent! It's sublime!" Asfor me, I have the courage of my own opinion. I say: What! You havethe nerve to call that fine? It is frightful! It is abominable! Theserandom selections from the writings of Montesquieu show that heconsiders persons, liberties, property -- mankind itself -- to benothing but materials for legislators to exercise their wisdom upon.