A Paris, Chez Barrois l'aîné, 1782. (4), xvii-xxxii, (33)-96, 376, (4) pp. 12mo. Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt in compartments, label with gilt lettering, marbled edges, corners a bit bumped. Kress B.507; Goldsmiths 12336 (both incomplete copies); not in INED; not in Einaudi (see nr 2667 where the 1780 edition is mentioned under Gouttes). Second edition, first published in 1780. This second edition is augmented with replies to critics. The Aristotelian position, which equated interest with usury and thus condemned it, was still prevalent in the eighteenth century. After the initial historical chapters, the argument runs clearly along the lines of Turgot's Sur les Prêts d'Argents, in defence of interest, which Schumpeter had classified as 'by far the greatest performance in the field of interest theory the eighteenth century produced' (Schumpeter, p. 332). Turgot established the necessity of interest for commercial and industrial purposes, and persuasively argued that the taking of interest should be legalised, and the rate left to be settled between borrower and lender. He also stated that interest was an indispensable prerequisite of production, a point which is argued in great detail in chapter XI. Turgot had written Sur Les Prêts d'Argent because of a commercial crisis in Angoulême in 1769 (see Palgrave vol. 2, p. 433 for further details), and the legislation regarding Angoulême is reprinted at the end of the volume. - This is the work of three authors, originally composed by Pierre Rulié, this treatise was substantially rewritten by Jean Louis Gouttes, and is actually attributed to him in Einaudi, he in turn drew heavily on the assistance of Turgot and quotes extensively from his work, in particular from Sur les Prêts d'Argent and Reflexions sur la Formation et la Distribution des Richesses and also from an unpublished manuscript. - Title-page and 'Avis' a bit spotted.
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In-12, pleine basane de l'époque, dos lisse orné de compartiments dorés, tranches rouges (un mors fendus, coiffes usées, pet. gal. de vers en marge de 6 f.), (2) f., [xvij]-xxxij-[33]-96 p., 376 p., (2) f. Paris, Barrois l'Aîné, 1782.
Deuxième édition largement augmentée de cet ouvrage rédigé par l'abbé Pierre Rulié et Jean-Louis Gouttes avec l'aide de Turgot. Celui-ci y expose sa théorie du prêt à intérêt, très largement empruntée à son 'Mémoire sur les prêts d'argent' alors à l'état de manuscrit. Cette contribution théorique majeure en faveur de la légalisation du prêt, ses avantages sur le développement industriel et commercial, fut composée par Turgot à l'occasion d'une crise commerciale survenue à Angoulême en 1769; le dernier chapitre de l'ouvrage concerne cette affaire. (Goldsmiths, 12336. Kress, B.507).
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