Economics Dictionary of Arguments

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Physiocracy: Physiocracy was an 18th-century economic theory emphasizing natural order in agriculture as the primary source of wealth. It advocated for minimal government intervention in the economy, asserting that land was the sole source of wealth, with agricultural productivity being the key driver of economic growth, rejecting mercantilist policies in favor of free trade and low taxes on agriculture. See also Economics, Interventions, Economics growth.
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Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments.

 
Author Concept Summary/Quotes Sources

Victor Riqueti de Mirabeau on Physiocracy - Dictionary of Arguments

Mause I 39
Physiocracy/Mirabeau: ("Rule of Nature"): heyday: from the appearance of Quesnays "Tableau Economique" (1758) to the fall of Turgots as Minister of Finance (1776).
The physiocrats postulated the existence of a natural order ("ordre naturel") that could be recognized and realized by reason (thus they were under the influence of Descartes). As far as the economy is concerned, this order is characterised by freedom, competition and private property. Accordingly, the physiocrats were decisive representatives of free trade and freedom of competition ("laissez faire, laissez passer") - also and above all because they expected this to promote agriculture. Agriculture was in the center of its economic conception: since it was regarded as the sole source of all wealth; only agriculture would generate a "surplus" ("produit net", i.e. the national income).
>Taxation
.
Taxes: the physiocrats proposed a land tax as the sole source of public financing ("impôt unique"); since public revenues would ultimately have to come from the surplus generated and since this would be produced exclusively by agriculture, it is only logically, to tax agriculture or land.(1)
>National Economy/Quesnay.
From today's view it is also remarkable that the first formulation of the law of decreasing marginal yield is found among the physiocrats. This means that as the use of a production factor continues to increase, the resulting increase in output decreases.


1. Mirabeau, Victor Riqueti de, Philosophie Rurale, Amsterdam 1764.

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Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments
The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition.

EconMira I
Victor Riqueti de Mirabeau
Philosophie Rural Bd I - III Amsterdam 1764

Mause I
Karsten Mause
Christian Müller
Klaus Schubert,
Politik und Wirtschaft: Ein integratives Kompendium Wiesbaden 2018


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