Welcome to HIS204!

This course is designed to explore the French origins of the concept of laissez-faire—"let it happen"—as it developed in the 18th century through a rich intellectual tradition. By tracing the thoughts of early French economic thinkers, we'll uncover the foundations of a political economy built on economic freedom, marked by a mistrust of State interference and a belief in a natural order that favors growth and prosperity.

In this section we begin at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, a time shaped by the excessive rule of absolute monarchy and the first calls for a more rational and fair way to govern public affairs. Through the figures of Vauban, Boisguilbert, and Cantillon, we discover early criticisms of state interventionism and a first outline of what would later become liberal political economy.

This section focuses on those who, in the first decades of the 18th century, attempted to reform the French economy in the light of new principles. Thinkers like the Abbot of Saint-Pierre, the Marquis d'Argenson, and Gournay (along with his followers) called for dismantling corporatist obstacles, liberalizing trade, and encouraging competition as the driver of development. Their often bold proposals foreshadowed the great Physiocratic ideas.

This section explores one of the most important moments in French economic thought: the Physiocratic school. We'll examine its origins, doctrinal foundations and main achievements, focusing on key figures like Quesnay and Dupont de Nemours. The idea of laissez-faire becomes a coherent system right in this school, rooted in the idea of a natural order to which the State must submit to guarantee prosperity for all.

Finally, we'll see how liberal economic thinking spread within the broader Enlightenment movement. Figures like Voltaire, Turgot, Condillac, and Condorcet expanded and enriched the laissez-faire tradition, their writings created a bridge for the laissez-faire tradition to cross into the revolutionary period and beyond, where liberal ideas found new resonance.

Ready to rediscover the French roots of economic liberalism? Let's go!