Bastiat’s Concepts on the Politics of Plunder

Bastiat’s Concepts on the Politics of Plunder

            The government is supposed to repress private assaults on personal liberty and property, only imposing certain negative sanctions to ensure safety and peace.  However, the government often takes the role of a “beneficent, inexhaustible being” that believes in equality for everyone.  This sounds great in theory: bread for all mouths, work for all hands, giving capital for all enterprises, and salve for all wounds.  However, this means they also take credit for all projects.  To accomplish this “equality,” the law is used to plunder the masses and take control of everyone.  Politicians, whether elected or self-appointed, often think they are of greater importance than everyone else.  We human beings like to plunder because we get to enjoy the labor of others.  We like people working for us!  We like to throw trouble on other people and enjoy keeping the satisfaction for ourselves.   Politicians are no different.  They just have more highly regarded views than everyone else.  Or they use their power to force their will on others.  They plunder the people by taxing every little thing.  Then they take the role of the “beneficent, inexhaustible being” by giving the people work, food, and whatever they need to live so that they are all “equal.”  Unfortunately, because of this, the people who don’t work hard will receive a lot for their little effort, while the hard workers receive little for their great sacrifice.  Meanwhile, those at the top who are plundering the people glut themselves on everyone else’s labors.