Originally published in French in 1848, Essays on Political Economy by Frederic Bastiat is a collection of essays in which Bastiat addresses several controversial economic and political principles, such as the free market, the role of government, taxes, and capital and interest, among others. Bastiat was an advocate of the free market and limited government that defended an individual's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (indeed, he would have made an excellent early American). He is known today for his dynamic and witty essays against protectionism and government subsidy and control. Essays on Political Economy should be considered necessary reading for modern economists, historians, and political science scholars. French political libertarian and economist CLAUDE FRÉDÉRIC BASTIAT (1801-1850) was one of the most eloquent champions of the concept that property rights and individual freedoms flowed from natural law.