The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Bastiat, Frédéric
(frdrk´ bästyä´) (KEY) , 180150, French economist. In his Harmonies of Political Economy (1850, tr. 1860) he developed the classical theories of economic individualism and laissez-faire. A popular and controversial writer, he vigorously supported free trade. There are several translations of his essays called Sophismes économiques (184748).