The Socialists Despise Mankind

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　According to these writers, it is indeed fortunate that Heaven hasbestowed upon certain men -- governors and legislators -- the exactopposite inclinations, not only for their own sake but also for thesake of the rest of the world! While mankind tends toward evil, thelegislators yearn for good; while mankind advances toward darkness,the legislators aspire for enlightenment; while mankind is drawntoward vice, the legislators are attracted toward virtue. Since theyhave decided that this is the true state of affairs, they then demandthe use of force in order to substitute their own inclinations forthose of the human race.

　　Open at random any book on philosophy, politics, or history, andyou will probably see how deeply rooted in our country is this idea --the child of classical studies, the mother of socialism. In all ofthem, you will probably find this idea that mankind is merely inertmatter, receiving life, organization, morality, and prosperity fromthe power of the state. And even worse, it will be stated thatmankind tends toward degeneration, and is stopped from this downwardcourse only by the mysterious hand of the legislator. Conventionalclassical thought everywhere says that behind passive society there isa concealed power called law or legislator (or called by some otherterminology that designates some unnamed person or persons ofundisputed influence and authority) which moves, controls, benefits,and improves mankind.