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Decline and progress: the economic agent in Condillac's theory of history

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  • Arnaud Orain

Abstract

In the conception of history of the abbe de Condillac, one thing is really original. He establishes a causal relation between the functioning of the human mind and the history of societies. First, the understanding of humankind is not disordered: society develops, stages follow one another. But the commercial stage leads societies to divide into classes, the landowners are interested only in frivolous, luxurious objects: they have become denatured. Their behaviour entails society in a long phase of decline. However, this course is not inevitable. Condillac wishes to reform the individual in order to modify society and he proposes economic safeguards capable of reducing disparities. Life is simple, but history is not halted.

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  • Arnaud Orain, 2003. "Decline and progress: the economic agent in Condillac's theory of history," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 379-407.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eujhet:v:10:y:2003:i:3:p:379-407
    DOI: 10.1080/0967256032000106661
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel Klein, 1985. "Deductive Economic Methodology in the French Enlightenment: Condillac and Destutt de Tracy," History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 51-71, Spring.
    2. Finzi, Roberto, 1982. "The Theory of Historical Stages in Turgot and Quesnay--A Few Comparisons--," Economic Review, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 33(2), pages 109-118, April.
    3. André Lapidus, 2000. "La rationalité du choix passionnel : En quête de l'héritage de David Hume," Post-Print hal-00343939, HAL.
    4. Gilbert Faccarello, 1994. "'Nil repente !': Galiani and Necker on Economic Reforms," Post-Print halshs-00743020, HAL.
    5. Arnaud Orain, 2002. "Condillac face à la physiocratie. Terre, valeur et répartition," Revue Économique, Programme National Persée, vol. 53(5), pages 1075-1099.
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    Cited by:

    1. Arnaud Orain, 2006. "« Équilibre » et fiscalité au Siècle des lumières. L'économie politique de Jean-Joseph Graslin," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 57(5), pages 955-981.
    2. Marion Chottin, 2016. "Comment fonder le moi intéressé ? La fiction de l’homme originaire dans Condillac et Turgot," Post-Print hal-01708265, HAL.
    3. Gilbert Faccarello, 2006. "An 'exception culturelle'? French sensationist political economy and the shaping of public economics," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 1-38.

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