Those who genuinely love the Republic should understand that it is necessary to make it loveable.

Frédéric Bastiat
Complete Works, Volume 7, pages 392 to 394 (in French)
Undated

Three topics are mentionned here – the need for devolution in France, the vote on prohibition of clubs from March 24th, 1849 and the First Italian War of Independence. 

Today’s quote pertains to the prohibition of clubs and is followed by the sentence “Trying to impose to the country with force an institution or even a freedom that frightens it, would compromise the Republic”. I am not familiar with the details of this issue with clubs but we are clearly facing an assault against freedom of speech. Frédéric Bastiat having voted in favour of prohibition, we can legitimately wonder why he voted obviously against freedom on that day. According to his explanation, it would be to take public opinion (who does not want a “freedom that frightens it”) into account in order to “make the Republic loveable”. This means he is placing the democratic ideal in front of the liberal ideal. This is astonishing and I cannot understand this decision with an argument that fails to convince me. That said, I cannot find many errors and mistakes throughout Frédéric Bastiat’s writings while it would be incredible if there were none! Moreover, a better understanding of the circumstances might explain his position that seems incongruous at first sight.