Abstract
The involvement of the government in entrepreneurship is undeniable. At all stages of enterprise, the governing forces are involved. From patent applications to regulations, from subsidies to taxes, local, state, and national government is closely tied to the entrepreneur. Although it is undeniable that the government is involved, it is debatable as to whether or not the involvement is beneficial. In the 2011 publication of Bastiat Frédéric’s collection of writings, Frédéric espouses a very critical view of the government. Throughout his essays, he frequently references the “plunder” of the government through their collection of taxes and imposition of regulations. While this is a very understandable view, his defense of this stance is questionable.
Government Control of Supply
In chapter seven of the publication, Bastiat Frédéric produces a fictitious petition of the French government from the manufacturers of “[...] everything connected with lighting” (Bastiat Frédéric, 227). In this petition, Bastiat Frédéric pleads with the government to restrict the access of natural daylight into homes and businesses across France (Bastiat Frédéric, 228), which would create an artificial need for manmade lighting. Bastiat Frédéric goes on to argue that this dependence on artificial light would cause a ripple across the economy that would enrich the producers of tallow, oil, livestock, and that the agricultural industry would find more success than ever before. Of course, Bastiat Frédéric is producing a satirical appeal to the French Government to showcase their prioritization of the producer, and their indifference to the consumer. This point is made even clearer as Bastiat Frédéric goes on to say:
“Well, be it so; if consumers are interested in the free admission of natural light, the producers of artificial light are equally interested in its prohibition. (Bastiat Frédéric, 230)”
Although many of Bastiat Frédéric’s writings are up for debate, few would argue that an emphasis on production and a disregard of the consumer is an unsustainable and laughable ideology. Any government or entity that seeks to produce maximum profits across all industries for those that produce goods and services, but does not seek to provide for those that cannot afford or access necessities is not a benevolent government at all. The success of the producer relies solely on the support of the consumer, and to downplay the power of the consumer is a dangerous thought process.
The Definition of Government
Bastiat Frédéric goes on to fantasize about a public challenge to define the word government in a simple, intelligible, and effective manner (Bastiat Frédéric, 95). Although most people can enumerate roles that the government fills in society, such as the creation and enforcement of laws, and the collection and dispersion of taxes, the word “government” can be a very ambiguous term. While the debate of what the government is could take pages in itself, Bastiat Frédéric provides his own definition after listing the demands that citizens often have of the government:
“Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else (Bastiat Frédéric, 99).”
This cynical view of the government can be applied in some circumstances, but it does not encompass the full scope of the government. Bastiat Frédéric views the government as an entity created to support individuals, but that is not the true case. Although the modern American government offers support to individuals who are in need, it has many more responsibilities. The government is responsible for providing infrastructure to support electricity, water, sewage, and gas, as well as roads and highways to travel the land. It is tasked with creating and enforcing laws to nurture a peaceful society. While these amenities may seem to align with Bastiat Frédéric’s view of the government, this perspective is not entirely true. While the government supports the individual citizens, they cannot benefit without a personal buy-in, collected through taxation and the completion of civic responsibilities such as voting, jury duty, and military service. In short, Bastiat Frédéric assumes that citizens expect the government to provide for them at the cost of others, but in reality each citizen provides for each other through the organizing force that we refer to as the government. Although this system is not perfect, and allows for corruption and misuse of resources, it allows each individual to have a say, no matter how small, in the governance of society.
The Motivating Forces of Man
To further investigate Bastiat Frédéric’s works, one must also study his views on laws. When laws serve to protect one’s own person, liberty, and property, Bastiat Frédéric praises the idea. It is only when laws restrict the person, liberty, and property of an individual that Bastiat Frédéric becomes critical (Bastiat Frédéric, 50). Bastiat Frédéric explained his view in the following excerpt:
“The law is the organization of the natural right of lawful defense; it is the substitution of collective for individual forces, for the purpose of acting in the sphere in which they have a right to act, of doing what they have a right to do, to secure persons, liberties, and properties, and to maintain each in its right, so as to cause justice to reign over all (Bastiat Frédéric, 51).”
Bastiat Frédéric’s view of the law is that it should exist only to allow each individual to protect himself, his belongings, and his freedom. However, Bastiat Frédéric goes on to criticize the government’s “plunder” of the citizens, in which they collect taxes and enforce laws without returning one-hundred percent of what has been taken in a different form. He goes on to say that if plunder is committed by an organized government, and is permitted by the law that the government has created, it is natural for citizens to revolt and protest the injustice (Bastiat Frédéric, 54). This observation is followed by the criticism that when citizens succeed in stopping the plunder of their own class, they in turn begin to plunder others. This cycle of plunder and uprising is repeated again and again, with classes turning against each other to benefit themselves (Bastiat Frédéric, 55). This idea can be exemplified through the two major American political parties. When Democrats have control, they often create policies that benefit their constituents and conflict with the goals of the Republicans, oftentimes in the form of raising taxes to provide social welfare for citizens. Republicans, becoming frustrated with rising tax rates, then elect Republican leaders to the majority in the government, and these politicians often remove welfare programs and instead incentivize large businesses to succeed in the economy. The two parties go back and forth in a continuous cycle.
Conclusion
Although Bastiat Frédéric had many controversial opinions on the role of government, many of his views are defendable. While many government programs benefit the average citizen, there is plenty of “legal plunder” that occurs every day. Governments should provide for their citizens the same amount that is taken from them. If a citizen is required to pay taxes for public programs, they should receive an equal amount of support from those very programs.
Works Cited
Bastiat Frédéric. (2011). The Law. In The bastiat collection (pp. 49–94). essay, Ludwig von Mises Institute.
Bastiat Frédéric. (2011). Government. In The bastiat collection (pp. 95–107). essay, Ludwig von Mises Institute.
Bastiat Frédéric. (2011). Petition of the Manufacturers of Candles, Waxlights, Lamps, Candlelights, Street Lamps, Snuffers, Extinguishers, and the Producers of Oil, Tallow, Resin, Alcohol, and, Generally, of Everything Connected
with Lighting. In The bastiat collection (pp. 227–232). essay, Ludwig von Mises Institute.