Essays on the Nature of Trade in General
- 408 pages
- 15 hours of reading
Richard Cantillon was an Irish-French economist whose foundational work is considered the cradle of political economy. Despite limited biographical details, he achieved significant success as a banker and merchant early in his career. His prosperity was built upon astute political and business connections, cultivated through family ties and early professional relationships. Cantillon's economic insights were honed through his involvement in speculative ventures, which brought him great wealth but also drew the ire of debtors, who pursued him relentlessly until his death.



A Variorum Edition
Written by Richard Cantillon in the early 1730s, this influential work explores the foundations of trade and economics, reflecting the author's experiences as a successful banker and speculator during the financial bubbles of the early 18th century. Although it remained unpublished for nearly twenty years, its posthumous release in 1755 in Paris marked a significant contribution to economic thought, earning immediate recognition for its insights into market dynamics and the nature of trade.