Life Is a Gift from God

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　We hold from God the gift which includes all others. This gift islife -- physical, intellectual, and moral life.

　　But life cannot maintain itself alone. The Creator of life hasentrusted us with the responsibility of preserving, developing, andperfecting it. In order that we may accomplish this, He has providedus with a collection of marvelous faculties. And He has put us in themidst of a variety of natural resources. By the application of ourfaculties to these natural resources we convert them into products,and use them. This process is necessary in order that life may runits appointed course.

　　Life, faculties, production--in other words, individuality,liberty, property -- this is man. And in spite of the cunning ofartful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all humanlegislation, and are superior to it.

　　Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have madelaws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, andproperty existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the firstplace.