Frédéric Bastiat：Economic Sophisms, Excerpt 80

In the first instance, one man was enriched, and many others were impoverished. At first sight, marvellous as the invention proves itself to be, we hesitate to decide whether it is hurtful or useful. It seems to introduce into the world, as I have said, an indefinite element of inequality. Guttemberg profits by his invention, and extends his invention with its profits indefinitely, until he has ruined all the copyists. As regards the public, in the capacity of consumer, it gains little; for Guttemberg takes care not to lower the price of his books, but just enough to undersell his rivals.

Source： https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44145
Locator：Excerpt 80 · Verified：2026-10-19 · Verification：Short excerpt

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