Book excerpt: “The worst thing that can happen to a good cause is not to be skillfully attacked, but to be ineptly defended.” ~Frederic Bastiat Frederic Bastiat wrote with urgency and passion for the free society, even until his last breath. He knew that political systems were not enough to preserve freedom. We need public consensus that comes from practical and moral conviction. He left us with the perfect model for how to obtain this. This is why AIER has put together this collection consisting of five of Bastiat’s most lucid and compelling pieces. There are many others, so please just consider this the essence of his work, a beginning and not an end. If this is your first time encountering his great work, prepare yourself for a change of mind, and a lifetime of intellectual adventure. Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850) was a French economist who wrote with urgency and passion for the free society. His writings greatly influenced the Austrian School. Bastiat is regarded by some historians as “the most brilliant economic journalist who ever lived.” This collection contains an Introduction by Brad DeVos and the following 5 classic works by Bastiat: I. The Law II. That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen III. The Candlemakers’ Petition IV. A Negative Railroad V. Government The American Institute for Economic Research in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, was founded in 1933 as the first independent voice for sound economics in the United States. Today it publishes ongoing research, hosts educational programs, publishes books, sponsors interns and scholars, and is home to the world-renowned Bastiat Society and the highly respected Sound Money Project. The American Institute for Economic Research is a 501c3 public charity.