Biography of Frédéric Bastiat

Life, liberty, property

30 June 1801 24 December 1850 economist and writer, but also a philosopher and liberal politician, Frederic Bastiat was born the day 30 June 1801 in Bayonne, French city of the Aquitaine region. It remains orphaned very early, at the age of nine, then under the tutelage of his grandfather growing up. Teenager, at sixteen he left school to continue exporting activity in the field of agriculture which was about his family. The Economist Thomas DiLorenzo will claim that entrepreneurship of Bastiat would enormemete affect on future economic theories that he would then processed. Liberal in politics, taking part to the efforts of his city during the uprisings of 1830; applying numerous times in several national elections, becoming mp more than once: particularly significant is its presence in the constituent Assembly of 1848. Bastiat politically and socially is fighting for freedom in international trade, for the reduction of the State and its spending, to women's participation in politics, against the colonial adventures and for the freedom of workers ' associations. Lives almost retired to his province until 1944, when he began his career as an economist. The career lasts however very little, only six years old, considered the early death caused by tuberculosis in 1850. You can include the name of Frederic Bastiat's most important liberal thinkers of the nineteenth century: in his thought can be found the foundations of the future Austrian School of economic thought libertarianism. In a nutshell we can say that Bastiat considered the natural right and utilitarianism two sides of the same coin. Considered unavoidable in State practice, although concentrated all his efforts in an attempt to demonstrate how any State intervention in the lives of private individuals was inefficient, economically disadvantageous and highly immoral. Claimed that the only task of the Government was to protect individual rights: life, liberty and property. Bastiat's works range from political philosophy and economic theory are characterized by a strong argument and a very sharp intuition. His most important work and note is "Sophistry", where you can find several attacks to the different policies pursued by various Governments. Always in "Sophistry" is a satirical piece very sharp, also known as "petition of the candlemakers," where ironically and with clear intent provocative, Bastiat asks the Government to block the Sun through a decree, to prevent unfair competition from other factories, stressing the Government's allergy to competition. Another important work of Bastiat's "the law," published in 1850, where he was presented a fair system of law, and where it shows how a free society facilitates the creation of law. "What is seen and what is not seen" is the title of an essay of 1850, in which there is an important story: the "parable of the broken window", pages from which Bastiat tries to explain the notion of hidden costs (or "incidental"). In his journeys that lead him around France, Bastiat was able to disseminate liberal and libertarian ideas. It is increasingly known, living a hectic political activities as a journalist and as a writer of economy, which has much influence on France of the time. He died in Rome on 24 December 1850: on his deathbed will indicate in the Belgian Economist Gustave de Molinari's own spiritual heir.
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