Legislators Desire to Mold Mankind

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　Now let us examine Raynal on this subject of mankind being moldedby the legislator:

　　 "The legislator must first consider the climate, the air,and the soil. The resources at his disposal determine his duties. Hemust first consider his locality. A population living on maritimeshores must have laws designed for navigation.... If it is an inlandsettlement, the legislator must make his plans according to the natureand fertility of the soil....

　　 It is especially in the distribution of property that thegenius of the legislator will be found. As a general rule, when a newcolony is established in any country, sufficient land should be givento each man to support his family....

　　 On an uncultivated island that you are populating withchildren, you need do nothing but let the seeds of truth germinatealong with the development of reason.... But when you resettle anation with a past into a new country, the skill of the legislatorrests in the policy of permitting the people to retain no injuriousopinions and customs which can possibly be cured and corrected. Ifyou desire to prevent these opinions and customs from becomingpermanent, you will secure the second generation by a general systemof public education for the children. A prince or a legislator shouldnever establish a colony without first arranging to send wise menalong to instruct the youth...."

　　In a new colony, ample opportunity is open to the carefullegislator who desires to purify the customs and manners of thepeople. If he has virtue and genius, the land and the people at hisdisposal will inspire his soul with a plan for society. A writer canonly vaguely trace the plan in advance because it is necessarilysubject to the instability of all hypotheses; the problem has manyforms, complications, and circumstances that are difficult to foreseeand settle in detail.