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Jean Baptiste Colbert, Memoirs
On the Financial Disorders in France (1586)
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As we have had only examples of want and necessity in our finances since the death of Henry IV, it will be well
to determine how it has come about that for so long a time there has not been, if not abundance, at least a tolerably
satisfactory income, - something else than dearth and destitution, some approximation of equality between output and
revenue. . . .
During the twenty years immediately following the death of Henry IV, the superintendents of the finances either gorged
themselves with wealth, - all the other financial oflicials following their example, - or, if they were upright men, they
did not have sufficient penetration to perceive the abuses, malfeasance, thefts, and waste which went on under cover of
their authority, and even under their eyes, so that the state was always in need. It even happened that the incompetency
of the superintendents was commonly more prejudicial to the state and the people than their personal thefts, seeing that
there never was a time when the (278) superintendents appeared to be more honest than from 1616 to 1630. . . .
But since the expiration of these twenty years the change in the character of the persons chosen to fill this post has not
altered the fate of the state; on the contrary, the most pernicious maxims took root in their minds and controlled their
conduct and, in the course of time, assumed such strength that they have come to be considered fixed and
unquestionable, and it seems to be assumed that they are not endangering the state. These maxims were :
This realm can exist only in confusion and disorder;
The secret of finance consists solely in making and unmaking, in bestowing emoluments and new honors on old
officers, in creating new offices of every kind and character, in alienating rights and sources of income, withdrawing
these and then reestablishing them once more;
Causing the payment of taxes on all kinds of pretexts;
Increasing the indirect taxes and tailles, alienating rights, then reducing or withdrawing them to alienate them anew;
Consuming for current expenses the ordinary and extraordinary receipts of the two years following ;
Giving prodigious discounts for advances in cash, not only in raising exceptional revenue, but even in the collection of
the ordinary revenue, more than half of which is consumed by discounts and interest on money advanced;
Giving the opportunity to the treasurers of the public funds, other financial agents, and farmers of the revenue of
making immense profits; maintaining that the grandeur of the state consists in having a small number of persons who
can furnish prodigious sums and astonish foreign princes;
Neglecting the farmed taxes and general receipts which constitute the ordinary revenues, in order to apply themselves
actively to extraordinary sources of income.
All these pernicious maxims were so firmly established that the most able and enlightened persons connected with
(279) the government of the state thought that in a matter so delicate it would be more dangerous to try a new policy
than to submit to the existing evils.
It is not astonishing that superintendents of finance regulated their conduct by these maxims, since they found in them
two considerable advantages: the first was that in this confusion they enjoyed plenty of opportunity to enrich
themselves and to make important gifts to their relatives and friends and to all the persons of the court whose good
offices they had need of in order to maintain themselves in all the disorder; and the second, that they were persuaded
that this policy rendered their services necessary and that no resolution to remove them could be considered.
Commercial Policy of Colbert
As Shown in Louis XIV's Letterto the
Town Officers and People of Marseilles (August 26, 1664)
Considering how advantageous it would be to this realm to reestablish its foreign and domestic commerce, . . . we
have resolved to establish a council particularly devoted to commerce, to be held every fortnight in our presence, in
which all the interests of merchants and the means conducive to the revival of commerce shall be considered and
determined upon, as well as all that which concerns manufactures.
We also inform you that we are setting apart, in the expenses of our state, a million livres each year for the
encouragement of manufactures and the increase of navigation, to say nothing of the considerable sums which we
cause to be raised to supply the companies of the East and West Indies;
That we are working constantly to abolish all the tolls which are collected on the navigable rivers;
That there has already been expended more than a million livres for the repair of the public highways, to which we
shall also devote our constant attention; (280)
That we will assist by money from our royal treasury all those who wish to reestablish old manufactures or to
undertake new ones ;
That we are giving orders to all our ambassadors or residents at the courts of the princes, our allies, to make, in our
name, all proper efforts to cause justice to be rendered in all cases involving our merchants, and to assure for them
entire commercial freedom;
That we will comfortably lodge at our court each and every merchant who has business there during all the time that he
shall be obliged to remain there, having given orders to the grand marshal of our palace to indicate a proper place for
that purpose, which shall be called the House of Commerce; . . .
That all the merchants and traders by sea who purchase vessels, or who build new ones, for traffic or commerce shall
receive from us subsidies for each ton of merchandise which they export or import on the said voyages.
We desire, in this present letter, not only to inform you concerning all these things, but to require you, as soon as you
have received it, to cause to be assembled all the merchants and traders of your town of Marseilles, and explain to them
very particularly our intentions in all matters mentioned above, in order that, being informed of the favorable treatment
which we desire to give them, they may be the more desirous of applying themselves to commerce. Let them
understand that for everything that concerns the welfare and advantage of the same they are to address themselves to
Sieur Colbert. . . .
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