Principles from eternal laws of justice and reason

A new publication delves into the principles of justice and reason through the lens of Maximilien Robespierre's "The Right to Life." This collection, part of ZRC Publishing's "Pamphlet" series which aims to publish reference texts on freedom, features the translated work of the French Revolution leader, accompanied by a study from Tomaž Mastnak.

Robespierre, a prominent figure of the French Revolution, was a philosopher and lawyer known for defending the rights of the poor. He served in the national assembly, delivering over 500 speeches, and led the Jacobin club. He was instrumental in shaping the constitution and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, advocating for equality, universal suffrage, and social security while opposing royal absolutism and discrimination.

The book focuses on Robespierre's assertion of a correlation between the right to life and "popular political economy." It examines his critique of the liberalization of grain trade, which, originating from Enlightenment salons, led to scarcity and hunger for the poor. Robespierre argued that such scarcity was artificially created, stating that France produced more than enough to feed its population.

According to Mastnak's preface, Robespierre publicly addressed the issue of essential food supplies on December 2, 1792. While not exclusively championing the poor, he argued that the right to life, within a "common-sense understanding," also encompassed the interests of landowners and merchants. However, he stressed that human life should not be subject to market risks. "The right to life," he contended, should ensure that everyone is affluent enough to afford bread for themselves and their children, asserting that no one has the right to hoard grain while their fellow citizens starve.

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The right to life should ensure that everyone is affluent enough to afford bread for themselves and their children. Nobody has the right to hoard sacks of wheat while his fellow human being is dying of hunger.