“The state is the great fiction by which everybody tries to live at the expense of everybody else.”
What this quote means
Bastiat criticizes the state as a fiction that allows everyone to live at the expense of others. He denounces redistribution mechanisms that can become means of plunder. The quote invites us to reflect on the role of the state and the limits of its intervention, pushing us to be vigilant against abuses of power.
How to apply it daily
Examine an aspect of taxation or public spending and form a critical opinion, by informing yourself about the real issues.
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