‎[JAUBERT Pierre]‎
‎Des causes de la dépopulation et des moyens d’y remédier. ‎

‎Des Causes de la dépopulation et des moyens d'y remédier.‎

‎ 1767 In-12, plein veau marbré de l'époque, dos à 5 nerfs cloisonnés et fleuronnés, pièce de titre de maroquin bordeaux, filet doré sur les coupes, tranches rouges, (2), xij, 298 p., (1) f. d'errata. Londres et se trouve à Paris, Dessain Junior, 1767.‎

‎Edition originale et unique de cette importante source pour l'histoire de la démographie au XVIIIe, ouvrage auquel Joseph Spengler a consacré un chapitre de son "Economie et population, doctrines françaises" (éd. INED, PUF, 1954, p.94 sq.).Résolument populationniste, l'auteur analyse les causes économiques et morales de la dépopulation de la France et livre son plan de réformes.Economiste, collaborateur à l'Encyclopédie Diderot-D'Alembert, prêtre du diocèse de Bordeaux, Pierre Jaubert (1715-1780) quitta sa charge pour s'installer à Paris et se consacrer à des travaux historiques et économiques.Michel Foucault a cité cet ouvrage dans son cours au Collège de France: "Sécurité, territoire, population" (1977-1978).(Conlon, 'Siècle des Lumières', 67:953. Goldsmiths'-Kress, n°10298. Higgs, 4197. INED, 2349).Très bon exemplaire, bien relié à l'époque. ‎

‎Des causes de la dépopulation et des moyens d'y remédier.‎

‎A Londres, et se trouve à Paris, Chez Dessain junior, 1767. (2), xii, 298 pp. 12mo. Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt in compartments, label with gilt lettering, red edges, some light scratches, small repair to joint of rear cover, a fine copy. Kress 6453; Goldsmiths 10298; Einaudi 3048; INED 2349; Higgs 4197; Conlon 67:953; not in Mattioli. First (and only?) edition. The abbé Pierre Jaubert's opinions were more varied than those of Danguel and Plombaine, but similar in character. He accepted the opinion of Montesquieu, Forbonnais, and the agrarian writers that population tended to grow when men were assured the fruits of their labor and some comfort; and that failure to cultivate all available land, coupled with the great and inequitable tax burden was depressing agricultural production and retarding population growth. Therefore he advocated stimulation of the agricultural arts: protection of agriculturalists against their creditors; a redistribution of the tax burden; the use of idle urban workeers to perform the corvées; and restrictions upon the crop-destroying wild game which were raised and protected for the benefit of the nobility. He furthermore proposed that monasteries and nunneries be stripped of tax exemption and other privileges, he was critical, as were many writers, of the French hospital and penal system, he advocated an improved urban water supply, enlargement and frequent cleaning of the streets, daily filth removal, and the location of certain establishments (cemetries, tanneries, etc.) outside cities. Spengler considers his suggestions for the curtailment of celebacy and the counterbalancing of its effects, as most important. With his emphasis on agricultural arts he was in line with the Physiocrats (for a detailed analysis see: Spengler, French predecessors of Malthus, pp. 90-94). A very nice copy of a scarce and important work. ‎