The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible - Bastiat Institute

26 Chapter 5 • Candles and Coats
What generates war
is the economic
philosophy of
nationalism;
embargos, trade and
foreign exchange
controls, monetary
devaluation, etc. The
philosophy of
protectionism is a
philosophy of war.
Ludwig von Mises
“This rival is the sun! Please pass a law
requiring the covering of all windows, skylights,
holes and cracks. Domestic manufacturers will
be stimulated. Agriculture will thrive on the
need for tallow. Whale oil demand will improve
shipping and thus defence. Jobs will be created
and everyone will benefi t. We have always
served our country well and gratitude demands
that we be protected.” Frederic Bastiat, 1846.
In Sophisms, Chapter 10, Bastiat writes:
“Once upon a time there were, no matter
where, two cities, Stulta and Puera.” See:
http://ww.econlib.org.
He goes on to tell the tale of the two cities
building a highway between them, at great
expense. Then employing salaried “Obstructers”,
at great expense, whose function was to set
up obstacles, at great expense, to “prevent the
fl ooding” of trade.
References
In July 2001 The International Society for
Individual Liberty – http://www.isil.com –
celebrated the centenary of the birth of Frederic
Bastiat – the French economist, statesman, and
author. Notable is his little (75 pages) thoughtprovoking
book The Law.
The Incredible Bread Machine by R.W. Grant
discusses the history and power of politics. The
Fair Trade, by James Bovard.
To see a 12-year old girl’s opinions on imports/
export see: http://www.JonathanGullible.com/
FreeMarketSuger.