Bastiat was afraid that socialism would lead to communism in 1850. Probably most people today might feel that he was right. Our actions are often guided by our fears. Writing a book about World War II Veterans did not affect my opinion of communism, because I was not born until 1942! Revolutions come out of desperation when no other solution is in sight. Bastiat was an economist who believed that incessant wars, mass migrations, religious persecutions, universal slavery, monopolies and dishonesty in commerce should not be tolerated. Does anyone think that 1850 was the beginning of all the above named fears? So, is Bastiat saying that we should stop having incessant wars, etc? Is he a prophet? Absolutely not. Was he right? Yes, but certainly all great-thinking philosophers before him understood mankinds' evil side. Why should "he" be so special in his thinking? As a country, we have a personality. A good one, in my opinion, of trying to avoid war without being blind to starvation, ethnic cleansing, and at the expense of neglecting our own people. Where is the dividing line between accepting a duel for a slap on the face?

With regard to the Civil War, every man had to believe that he was doing the right thing. All my ancestors came from Virginia and the ones who still live there are still Rebels. Each war is fought on the beliefs of the majority, right or wrong, huh? I study war to evaluate what each man can tolerate. The Civil War veterans were joyfully asked to tell of their adventures in the North each year at fair time. Did the South invite their veterans to come forward and tell their stories? How does that " welcoming" affect each veteran's feelings about his participation? This approach is a socio-pyschological study of entire generations of men who come back into society. In other words, do you think that because the South lost the war, it has effected many generations of their children? To me, they were even more brave than the Yanks because they had less equipment, etc., to fight with. All of us are at the mercy of our government's orders. Freemen? In your mind and in your heart.
Johnnie, do you have any books for sale?