I do not deny, I recognize and deplore as much as others, the suffering that competition has inflicted on men; but is this a reason for shutting our eyes to the good that it accomplishes?

Frédéric Bastiat
Economic Harmonies

As a conclusion to this chapter on competition, Frédéric Bastiat insists on the fact that it is beneficial to the consumer rather than the producer that each of us is. He is warning us against bias that we can have, notably due to the fact that economists have always placed production at the center of their analysis (Mises or Hayek will later place exchange at the heart of their analysis). Towards a given situation, we all have an inclination to focus on one point, particularly if we find it revolting or repulsive, and to forget that there are other points that should be looked at, particularly if they are positive and thus considered as a given or natural. A holistic view is absolutely necessary for an analysis to be completed and for decisions thereof to be as optimal as possible.

As usual, the message from Frédéric Bastiat is a message of hope for the future showing us through today’s quote that he is not naive towards the surrounding misery but that he is optimistic thanks to all he observes that is creating a dynamic against misery.

Other quotes from Competition:
Introduction – Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5 – Part 6 – Conclusion