Frédéric Bastiat

Born in Bayonne, France, in 1801, Frédéric Bastiat was an economist, writer, and public figure associated with the French liberal school. He entered public debate relatively late, but quickly became known for lively essays defending free trade, private property, and limited government.

Bastiat had a rare gift for making economics readable. He is especially remembered for arguments about the "seen" and the "unseen" effects of policy, as well as for the famous "broken window" parable. His best-known works include Economic Sophisms and The Law, both written in the final years of his life.

He also served in the French National Assembly during the upheavals of 1848. Bastiat died in Rome in 1850, at just 49, but his concise, witty style helped give his ideas an influence far beyond his lifetime.