What Is Liberty?

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　Actually, what is the political struggle that we witness? It isthe instinctive struggle of all people toward liberty. And what isthis liberty, whose very name makes the heart beat faster and shakesthe world? Is it not the union of all liberties -- liberty ofconscience, of education, of association, of the press, of travel, oflabor, of trade? In short, is not liberty the freedom of every personto make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm otherpersons while doing so? Is not liberty the destruction of alldespotism -- including, of course, legal despotism? Finally, is notliberty the restricting of the law only to its rational sphere oforganizing the right of the individual to lawful self- defense; ofpunishing injustice?

　　It must be admitted that the tendency of the human race towardliberty is largely thwarted, especially in France. This is greatly dueto a fatal desire -- learned from the teachings of antiquity -- thatour writers on public affairs have in common: They desire to setthemselves above mankind in order to arrange, organize, and regulateit according to their fancy.