The Law

The Law (French: La Loi) is an 1850 book by Frédéric Bastiat. It was written two years after the third French Revolution. The essay was influenced by John Locke''s Second Treatise on Government and in turn influenced Henry Hazlitt''s Economics in One Lesson. It is the work for which Bastiat is most famous followed by the candlemaker''s petition and the parable of the broken window. The Law has been cited by many thinkers from a broad range of ideologies. Ron Paul describes it as one of the main books that influenced him. Ronald Reagan cited it as a deep influence. The Federalist Society includes it on their pre-law reading list. Milton Friedman frequently recommended it as a reference.