The Fatal Idea of Legal Plunder

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　But on the other hand, imagine that this fatal principle has beenintroduced: Under the pretense of organization, regulation,protection, or encouragement, the law takes property from one personand gives it to another; the law takes the wealth of all and gives itto a few -- whether farmers, manufacturers, shipowners, artists, orcomedians. Under these circumstances, then certainly every class willaspire to grasp the law, and logically so.

　　The excluded classes will furiously demand their right to vote --and will overthrow society rather than not to obtain it. Even beggarsand vagabonds will then prove to you that they also have anincontestable title to vote. They will say to you:

　　"We cannot buy wine, tobacco, or salt without paying the tax. Anda part of the tax that we pay is given by law -- in privileges andsubsidies -- to men who are richer than we are. Others use the law toraise the prices of bread, meat, iron, or cloth. Thus, since everyoneelse uses the law for his own profit, we also would like to use thelaw for our own profit. We demand from the law the right to relief,which is the poor man's plunder. To obtain this right, we also shouldbe voters and legislators in order that we may organize Beggary on agrand scale for our own class, as you have organized Protection on agrand scale for your class. Now don't tell us beggars that you willact for us, and then toss us, as Mr. Mimerel proposes, 600,000 francsto keep us quiet, like throwing us a bone to gnaw. We have otherclaims. And anyway, we wish to bargain for ourselves as other classeshave bargained for themselves!"

　　And what can you say to answer that argument!