French origin of Economics: in relation to utilitarianism

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23530242
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic doctrine/Economic thought
• Research Institution: Shimonoseki City University
• Principal Investigator: YONEDA Shohei 下関市立大学, 経済学部, 教授 (20182850)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 経済学の起源 / フランス功利主義 / ボワギルベール / ジャンセニスト / 奢侈論争 / 啓蒙の経済学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The source of the epoch-making Laissez-faire’s Economics of Boisguilbert was in the new trend of French thoughts of the 17th century. This study focused on relations with Jansenist Pierre Nicole and Boisguilbert, and proved it. And this study made it clear that the characteristic of French Economics that descended from the new trend, had the utilitarian character at the point where value was based on utility, and that theoretically, the characteristic showed itself in consumption theory which emphasized the influence to production of consumption. Here, we can find French origin of Economics.

Free Research Field

経済学説・経済思想