Anne Robert Jaques Turgot and His Relevance to the French Revolution :: essays research papers fc

IntroductionAnne Robert Jaques Turgot, baron l Aulne, was born in genus Paris on May 10, 1727 to a noble French family of Normandy. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, who had furnished the state with numerous public officials, Turgot would achieve public laurels as Intendent of Limoges and later as Controller General of all France. Although Turgot stop his public career in unfortunate circumstances, being dismissed by Louis XVI for ineffectiveness, his political theories became a major influence in the stay years of the Old Regime. The depth of Turgots economic thought was not recognized at the time because it largely went against what the ruling aristocracy treasured to hear. His clairvoyance is much more fully noted in blank of the last two centuries. Furthermore, Turgot was one of the big businessmans last controller- planetarys in advance the French Revolution ended the monarchy. When his political and economic ideals are considered against this desktop their im portance as well as their contradictory character conk out apparent. Turgots main contribution to economic theory is his Reflections on the Formation and dispersion of Riches. Apart from this short but highly systematic account of the nature of economic development, Turgots other relevant writings are sparse and farther from cohesive. Since this paper will consider his economics with regard to his political thought, provided Turgots theories on the nature of government influence, bare trade, and taxes will be examined. Furthermore, an explanation of Turgots theory on administration will be provided. In gaining an understanding of Turgots political and economic thought a powerful example of the problems that manifested themselves in the revolution is provided. Turgot was the model of an enlightened, reform-minded executive director and this may be glimpsed in the liberality of his economic ideas. However, while he certainly advised reforms in administration, they were simply in tended so that the King could more effectively centralize political power. Laissez-Faire and Free commerce     As a young man Turgot was very close to Claude Marie Vincent, the marquess de Gournay. Vincent was not only a friend but also Turgots learn in economics and administration. It is in tribute to Vincent that after his death Turgot create his ideas on laissez-faire government in a paper called, the " lamentation to Gournay" (1759). Within this paper Turgot condemns the foolishness of mercantilist regulation of industry while expo the benefits of unthaw domestic and foreign trade following from the presence of free exchange.     In a detailed analysis of the market process, Turgot writes that self-interest is the apex mover in the market process and that in a free market the individual interest must always coincide with the general interest.