The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the work of Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850), one of the towering intellectual figures of nineteenth century France. More than anyone else of his time, Bastiat personified the struggle of liberalism and science against socialism and utopia. Between 1844 in 1850, his campaign for the idea of liberty and his commitment to the discipline of political economy made him one of the most vigorous champions of economic liberalism in France.

Foreword Raymond Boudon Introduction 1. The context of a life's work 2. Bastiat through his correspondence 3. Bastiat and England 4. Salvation through science 5. History and progress 6. Issues and debates 7. Freedom and its foes 8. Social and economic harmonies

Robert Leroux is Professor of Sociology at the University of Ottawa, Canada.