Antoine de Montchrestien

Antoine de Montchrestien, sior of Vasteville , born with Cliff (Apple-brandy) in 1575 and died in Malt kilns the October 7th 1621 1621, is a Poète, Dramaturge and economist French. He is regarded as the father of the political economy.

Montchrestien had an extremely adventurous life initially devoted to poetry then with the political economy.

Wire of an apothecary, it was found orphan in low age and was entrusted to a neighbor as tutor. It made some studies with the college of Caen. Its first tragedy, Sophonisbe (1596) having aroused the interest of Malherbe, Montchrestien made one second version of work in conformity with the principles of Malherbe, which it publishes in 1601 under the title the Carthaginian . It publishes then Lacènes then David and Aman . Its last tragedy, made up in 1604 is Hector . It also composed pastoral in prose entitled Bergerie and a poem Suzanne . In 1604, its life takes a radical turn when it kills in duel, close to Bayeux, the son of the sior of Grichy-Monks. He asks to the king Henri IV the favor of going to fight with the army instead of perishing on the scaffold but must nevertheless exile himself in Holland and England. Jacques I {{er}} accommodated it well and wrote even to the king Henri IV to request his grace. He returns at the end of a few years, a changed man, forsaking poetry to devote himself to other activities such as the translation of the Psaumes in worms or a drafting of the history of the Normandy.

But its philosopher's stone is that of an industrial economist. In 1615, appears its Traité political economy . Putting its ideas in practice, it is done industrial, producing knives, lancets and other instruments of steel. Towards 1619, it dealt of maritime trade and colonization. It is with the leaven of revolt agitating the Protestants after the first assembly of Loudun (1619) then the assembly of La Rochelle that the life of Montchrestien again takes a radical turn which will be fatal for him. Whereas it was since two or three years governor of Châtillon, it left this place with its men to throw itself in the revolt. It took Jargeau, which it had to leave before joining the province of its birth, where it undertook to try to raise the Huguenots Low Normandy. Surprised with the hotel trade of the Tourailles It was killed by Jean Turgot (the ancestor of the minister of Louis XVI). Its corpse was trailed on the tray before being flaring and its ashes thrown to the wind with Domfront.

The literary man

Although Sophonisbe (1596) was the subject of a considerable rewriting before being republished in 1601 pennies the title of the Carthaginian , it remains weakest of the tragedies of Montchrestien. Lacènes is quite higher to him. The beautiful ones towards abound there and their study benefitted Corneille well. David is much of weaker but the selected subject is hardly carrying. Aman is a better success. One even says that Racine would have read it and would have been inspired some in Esther . Its last tragedy, Hector (1604), is best composed and marks a real progress in art to compose the dramas. Although it was the subject of a translation in German, its Bergerie is rather insipid and Montchrestien did not include it in the 2nd edition of 1604. The tragedies of Montchrestien testify to the prevalence to elegiac lyricism and choral on the dramatic action; its works are supported indeed by the value of their style and the beauty of many its worms. One spoke about his work like “first outline of Crow” and that if it had been inspired better in its life, it would undoubtedly have exceeded many writers of its generation whereas it fell into a relative lapse of memory.

The economist

The term and the concept of “political economy” made their appearance with the Traité political economy of Montchrestien which specifically indicates the science of the production and the distribution of the richnesses on a country scale. This work divided into four parts - manufactures, trade, navigation and care of the prince - is representative of the theses mercantilists which develop at the 17th century. To increase the richness of the nation, it defends work - obligatory in fact - like, made new, of industry and the trade beside agriculture. It is always a question of enriching the State, but by industrial development. The State must give the example by creating great activities such as manufactures. He also preaches the intervention of the State to regulate the professions, to create manufactures and to work out a customs policy which defends the interests of the country. Montchrestien is protectionist for the food products produced in sufficient quantity while it is free-trader for those whose a country misses provided that this one works sufficiently to be able to treat to them. He recommends the Division of the labor, accepts the richness, protests against prodigality but accepts a certain measurement of luxury. He recommends the Concurrence like stimulant necessary to industry. The Traité political economy is also very useful today insofar as it gives invaluable information on France of the beginnings of the 17th century.

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