Remembering Frédéric Bastiat

The Banker Next Door · Apr 14, 2026 · 15m

Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850) was a French provincial scholar. As a young man, Bastiat was heavily influence by Adam Smith and Benjamin Franklin. He developed profound beliefs in life, liberty, and property rights. His greatest work is a book simply called “The Law”, which was published just before his death in 1850. Bastiat’s grandfather passed away in 1825 leaving him the family estate. He became a gentleman farmer and part-time scholar. Over the next twenty years Bastiat would write many articles, papers, and books. He also got involved in public life. In 1831, he was elected a justice of…