Si maladia opiniatria non vuit se guarire quid ilii facere? Purgare, saignare, clysterisare, repurgare, resaignare, reclysterisare.

Frédéric Bastiat
Complete Works, Volume 7, pages 240 to 242 (in French)
Jacques Bonhomme, June 15th, 1848

Frédéric Bastiat is using a Latin phrase again in the fashion of Molière, as he had done two years earlier, in order to laugh at the remedies that are attempted to fight the shortcomings of the State. For those who are not familiar with Latin, today’s quote could be translated as: “If the illness of opinion does not heal itself, what should be done? Purge, bleed, clysterise, repurge, rebleed, reclysterise”.

The shortcoming in question is the belief that the State can help each and everyone as will be exposed three months later in the most famous essay, The State. The illness of opinion is to believe that the State must help the citizens on every aspect of life by responding systematically to their demands, notwithstanding their illegitimacy. Already in 1848, the population demanded that the government financed vested interests in the hope by each individual that he will receive more than he gives. However, the tax mechanisms on a macro view is that the people necessarily receives less than it gives. The solution at which Frédéric Bastiat is laughing  is the classic approach of government which, assessing that the “solution” does not solve the issues, recommends to increase its power (levy more taxes in order to increase redistribution). However, we now know that when bleeding a patient does not cure him, the solution is not to bleed him again.