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Email: dmhart@mac.com
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© 2011

"FRÉDÉRIC BASTIAT (1801-50): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, and Politician in a Time of Revolution"
A Lecture by Dr. David M. Hart

[Created October 13, 2010]
[Updated June 10, 2011]

 

 

The next lecture on Bastiat:

Topic: "Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, & Politician in a Time of Revolution." A lecture in the David S. Saurman Provocative Lecture Series, Department of Economics, San Jose State University.

Venue: Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose State University, April 4, 2011, 5.15 pm.

Lecture material:

Information about Liberty Fund's Bastiat Translation Project

Additional material:

 

Contents of this page:

 

 

About Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850)

Frédéric Bastiat was a pivotal figure in French classical liberalism in the mid-19th century. He suddenly emerged from the south west province of Les Landes to assume leadership of the fledgling French free trade movement in 1844 which he modelled on that of Richard Cobden’s Anti-Corn Law League in England.  Bastiat then turned to a brilliant career as an economic journalist, debunking the myths and misconceptions people held on protectionism in particular and government intervention in general, which he called “sophisms” or “fallacies”. When revolution broke out in February 1848 Bastiat was elected twice to the Chamber of Deputies where he served on the powerful Finance Committee where he struggled to bring government expenditure under control. He confounded his political opponents with his consistent libertarianism: on the one hand he denounced the socialists for their economic policies, but took to the streets to prevent the military from shooting them during the riots which broke out in June 1848. In the meantime he was suffering from a debilitating throat condition which severely weakened him and led to his early death on Christmas Eve in 1850. Knowing he was dying, Bastiat attempted to complete his magnum opus on economic theory, his Economic Harmonies. In this work he showed the very great depth of his economic thinking and made advances which heralded the Austrian school of economics which emerged later in the century. Bastiat to the end was an indefatigable foe of political privilege, unaccountable monarchical power, the newly emergent socialist movement, and above all, the vested interests who benefited from economic protectionism. He was a giant of 19th century classical liberalism.

For further reading:

 

 

Lectures on Frédéric Bastiat

8. "The Liberty Fund & and the Battle for Ideas about Liberty" and "A Brief Introduction to the Thought of Frédéric Bastiat," A Talk to the Mount Hamilton Society, San Jose, April 6, 2011.

Venue: Silicon Valley Capital Club, Knight Ridder Building, San Jose.

Lecture material:

7. "Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, & Politician in a Time of Revolution", A Lecture in the David S. Saurman Provocative Lecture Series, Department of Economics, San Jose State University, April 4, 2011

Venue: Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose State University, April 4, 2011, 5.15 pm.

Lecture material:

Video of lecture with corresponding images of slides [new page]

6. "Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, & Politician in a Time of Revolution", Arizona Society of Economic Teachers, Phoenix, Arizona, April 2, 2011

Venue: Arizona Society of Economic Teachers, Mesa Community College, Phoenix, Arizona, April 2, 2011, 10.45 am.

Breakout Session: "How to use Liberty Fund's online resources on Economics."

Lecture handouts:

Additional material:

 

 

5. "Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, & Politician in a Time of Revolution", Foundation for Economic Education, NY, February 26, 2011

Venue: Foundation for Economic Education, NY, February 26, 2011, 6.15 PM.

Lecture handouts:

Additional material:

A Video of My Presentation is available here: <http://vimeo.com/21778355>

 

 

4. "Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, & Politician in a Time of Revolution", George mason University, Fairfax, VA, February 17, 2011

Venue: Mason Students for Liberty and the Mason Econ Society, February 17, 2011, 6.30 PM.

Lecture handouts:

 

 

3. "The Importance of Frédéric Bastiat" at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, February 8, 2011

"The Importance of Frédéric Bastiat" at the EB Ball Center, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, February 8, 2011, 2.30-4.00 PM.

Lecture handouts:

 

 

2. "Frédéric Bastiat: The Legendary Life and Works at a Time of Revolution": Students for Liberty, Webinar, Monday November 1, 2010, 8.00-9.00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

"Frédéric Bastiat: The Legendary Life and Works at a Time of Revolution"

Limericks written today in Honour of Bastiat:

There once was an arch anti-statist,
Who thought the state's dangers were greatest,
When those whom it bettered,
Fought those whom it fettered,
With statutes that made them the strongest.

There once was a critic of tariffs,
Who argued restrictions are rip offs,
Consumers are plundered,
Trade rivals are hindered,
And commerce in all quarters drops off.

 

 

1. "Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850): Campaigner for Free Trade, Political Economist, & Politician in a Time of Revolution" at the Institute for Liberal Studies, University of Ottawa, 15 October, 2010.

Material handed out at the lecture:

Slide Show presented at the Lecture [8 MB PDF]

Video of the lecture -