The Law and Education

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　You say: "There are persons who lack education," and you turn tothe law. But the law is not, in itself, a torch of learning whichshines its light abroad. The law extends over a society where somepersons have knowledge and others do not; where some citizens need tolearn, and others can teach. In this matter of education, the law hasonly two alternatives: It can permit this transaction of teaching -and - learning to operate freely and without the use of force, or itcan force human wills in this matter by taking from some of themenough to pay the teachers who are appointed by government to instructothers, without charge. But in this second case, the law commits legalplunder by violating liberty and property.