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In search of a 'crude fancy of childhood': deconstructing mercantilism

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  • Jérôme Blanc

    (TRIANGLE - Triangle : action, discours, pensée politique et économique - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - IEP Lyon - Sciences Po Lyon - Institut d'études politiques de Lyon - Université de Lyon - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Ludovic Desmedt

    (LEG - Laboratoire d'Economie et de Gestion - UB - Université de Bourgogne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This paper argues against the unity of 'mercantilism', refuting a rational reconstruction that underestimates both the diversity of early modern European economists and their writings, and the depth of their analyses. Beginning with a brief examination of the origins of 'mercantilism' and the evolution of perceptions of it, we examine the various readings proposed of 'mercantilist' writings (classical 'reconstruction', the German historical school and then contemporary work). The 'deconstruction' undertaken here does not aim to demonstrate that pre-classical writings were devoid of any conceptualisation or internal coherence. However, contemporary readers must make some effort to grasp the concepts used and engage with the proposals made. To this end it might be useful to propose an initial classification of authors based on their social position. The paper identifies different categories of writers and proposes new combinations of authors, reflecting the range of economic, and especially monetary, thinking of the period, with reference to the position of those authors relative to the spheres of government in Europe. This categorisation takes account of the social position of the authors, so as to identify any implications it might have for their concerns and their proposals. We first identify three categories of writers who are generally outside those spheres (late scholastics, economic philosophers and pamphleteers); then two categories of 'insiders' (officers of the mint and treasury administrators). The closeness of authors to the regime significantly influenced their writings.

Suggested Citation

  • Jérôme Blanc & Ludovic Desmedt, 2014. "In search of a 'crude fancy of childhood': deconstructing mercantilism," Post-Print halshs-00993954, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00993954
    DOI: 10.1093/cje/bes081
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00993954
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    1. Carabelli, Anna & Cedrini, Mario, 2014. "Not Beautiful, not Just, not Virtuous; 'And It Doesn't Deliver the Goods'. Capitalism and “Fear of Goods” in Keynes's Thought," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201438, University of Turin.
    2. Maurício C. Coutinho & Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, 2018. "Steuart, Smith, and the ‘system of commerce’: international trade and monetary theory in late-18th century british political economy," Textos para Discussão Cedeplar-UFMG 575, Cedeplar, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

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