How I wish now that I had not done that! I wish this essay was required reading for all adults of voting age. With this new age of bailouts and government spending exploding like a shaken soda bottle, this essay perfectly illustrates the need to look at both immediate benefits and LONG TERM consequences of every political decision. Bastiat classifies short term benefits as "what is seen" and the long term consequences as "what is not seen". He gives several examples of both sides of each issue.
As I read this essay, it became very clear to me that Bastiat knew what he was talking about. He understood the delicate balance of power in the economy. He writes in detail of the wrongness of government over regulating the economy, taxation, and how government officials understate the obvious long term consequences of their short term "fixes". How I wish the general American public would all read this essay! We could avoid do many blind attempts at fixing an economy that will right itself.
Please read What is Seen and What is Not Seen by Frederic Bastiat.
I took a college course that required reading Bastiat. In a world where the majority want people to only study Machiavelli, it was refreshing. It is true he was inspired, and why does no one make the correlation that having the people who "get" elected control the economy is a bad idea? Or that government control is not good at all? In one of my current courses it never ceases to amaze me the number of people who want a central world government, and the same people believe that violating rights and the constitution is a great thing at protecting them! Scary world we live in!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed, too, that people are so blind to the problems that Obama and others like him are creating for our future. Who is going to pay for the bailouts? You, me, our children, and grandchildren. Who is going to pay for nationalized healthcare? Who is going to pay for the development of these super light cars they want to make? How much do you want to pay for taxes...how about 50% of your income? Can you afford that? I can't!
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