Ion Ionescu from Brad – precursor of agricultural economy, statistics and accounting

Ion Ionescu from Brad (June 1818, Romania – December 1891, Brad, Bacau County), son of a priest from Moldova, was educated in Iasi at an early age, where he studied under the guidance of Eftimie Murgu. His studies continued in France, where he specialized in agricultural economics. At just 24 years he became a professor of agronomics at Mihaileana Academy of Iasi, being a major supporter of the agrarian reform in the Romanian Principalities. He participates in the Revolution of 1848, defending the rights of peasants, fighting to stop the abuse of landlords, what draws the hatred of rulers of the time. As a consequence of his actions directed to people, he is arrested by the Turkish army and sent into exile in the Ottoman Empire, from where he returned eight years later, with an impressive bag of knowledge in agriculture. He was also involved in politics after the unification of the Principalities as a deputy; all his work being focused on peasant rights, trying to represent voters of his college as conscientious as possible. He becomes a reference name in which it meant back then the modernization of Romanian agriculture, as an important practitioner and theoretician; his works are the scientific proof left to those who wanted to pursue his ideas. His concerns were complex, covering multiple aspects from other areas as well such as political economy, statistics and accounting.