The Bastiat2012 campaign has begun. Signs and bumper stickers can now be seen in Paris, and in all the country, with motivated supporters working really hard in other cities too, including Strasbourg and Rennes. The bastiat2012.fr website has been visited by thousands of people wanting to know more.
Who was Frederic Bastiat ? Bastiat was a 19th century economist, philosopher, and member of Parliament. Talented writer, he was one of the leading voices of a long tradition of classical liberalism in France, along with Quesnay, Tocqueville, Turgot, Destutt de Tracay (Jefferson's friend), Say, and Constant.
We know we are portrayed as evils : defendors of egoïsm, inequalities, big business, and the financial world. To clarify what we truly stand for, no one is more helpful than Bastiat. In his writings, he has explained it all. He has debunked more myths and fallacies than one can ever think of.
In 'The Law', Bastiat clearly explained what we now recognize as the roots of our problems : the law being perverted by "publicists" — politicians supposetly in charge of the common good, but working only for the welfare of some (big corporations, corupted bureaucrats, and the tyrannical majority). He explained why the words "brotherhood", "generosity" and "solidarity" were perveted and were in fact hiden the truth : the legal plunder, letting a fraction of the people live at the extense of the others.
Despite what we are being told, we don't live in a free society. The principles of our current policies are not those of classical liberalism. To the contrary. Statism, collectivism, and socialism, really dominate the whole political spectrum. We have an gigantic bureaucratic governement. Tax burden has reached nausea-inducing levels. With runaway deficits and skyrocketing debt, we are going bankrupt.
The half-fake-half-real presidential campaign of Frederic Bastiat decided to pursue a specific goal, similar to the one "Anonymous" once pursued : being a true voice of hope in an hopeless world ; and more specificly, a true voice for classical liberalism's themes. Among the 10 presidential candidates running this year, no one will defend the individuals and the taxpayer. They all favor big governement and socialist policies. Today, America has its own Bastiat : Ron Paul. He is now the world leading voice for small governement, free markets and personal liberties. Ron Paul's message does resonate with a lot of people in France too. Both countries are facing the same problems. Statism, the tendancy for governement to constantly intervene in economic affairs as well as in the life of each and every one of us, has left people helpless, and hopeless.
This campaign is like no other. We don't seek political power or bureaucratic nominations. This campaign aim at a better understanding of the ideas of liberty. The left wing / right wing struggle belongs to the past. It belongs to the ancient times of collectivism, when individual freedom and individual responsability was denied and despised. We are not dreamers. We believe in the power of ideas. As Ron Paul told us : an idea whose time has come can not be stopped by any army or any governement.
Damien Theillier, special adviser for the Bastiat2012 campaign
Video ads : http://www.youtube.com/user/
Campaign material : http://bastiat2012.fr/
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