[1763]. The La Richesse de l'Etat controversy A tract volume of responses to Roussel's La Richesse de l'Etat, which proposed a radical reformation of the French tax system to a single poll tax, and marked an important step in the progress of the physiocratic movement. The work caused a sensation, and a large number of attempted refutations were published. "The printing presses hummed busily, bringing out numerous brochures with suggestions for alleviating the serious financial burdens with which the French government and people were laden after the disastrous Seven Years War. In May of 1763 there appeared one which created great stir in Parisian circles, La Richesse de l'État, written by Roussel de la Tour, a counsellor at the Parlement of Paris. This pamphlet inspired others to publish replies and elaborations. The reason for the excitement was found in the daring tax proposals put forward by the author. He would abolish all the vexatious taxes in favor of one capitation levied on a progressive system according to the presumed wealth of the taxpayer. He divided taxpayers into twenty classes of 100,000 each, ranked according to wealth, and predicted from his suggested levies a tax yield of 698,366,666 livres. To this figure could be added the sum of 42,000,000 livres from certain levies which the King would retain (customs duties, post, tobacco, church contributions, etc.), providing a total income for the government of about 740,000,000 livres" (Saricks, pp. 20-21). Comprising: i) [ANON.] Suite des richesses de l'État; ou Observations sur la richesse de l'État. [No place or publisher identified, 1763]; ii) [DARIGRAND, Edme-François.] La Patrie vengée, ou la juste balance. Conclusions des Richesses de l'État. [n.p., n.p., 1763]; iii) [BERMINGHAM, Michel.] Mes rêveries sur les Doutes modestes, à l'occasion des Richesses de l'État. [n.p., n.p., 1763] A response to Doutes modestes by Jacob-Nicolas Moreau, which was in response to Roussel's work; iv) [ANON.] Résolution des Doutes modestes, sur la possibilité du systême établi par l'écrit intitulé: La Richesse de l'État. [n.p., n.p., 1763] Also in response to Jacob-Nicolas Moreau's work; v) [ANON.] Le Patriotisme au sujet des Richesses de l'État. [n.p., n.p., 1763]; vi) [ANON.] Le Boutte-selle, du 9 au 23 de juillet. [n.p., n.p., 1763]; vii) [MOREAU, Jacob-Nicolas.] Entendons-nous, ou le radotage du vieux notaire; sur la Richesse de l'État. [Amsterdam: no publisher identified, 1763]; viii) [DU PONT DE NEMOURS, Pierre Samuel.] Réponse demandée par Monsieur le Marquis de *** à celle qu'il a faite aux Réflexions sur l'écrit intitulé: Richesse de l'État. Londres: [i.e. Paris, no publisher identified,] 1763. Du Pont's defence of his prior response to Roussel, published the same year. ESTC T125895, locating three copies; ix) [HERVÉ, François-Marie.] La Voix des Cap... [n.p., n.p., 1750?] This is the sole work in the collection not related to Roussel; it is part of the controversy caused by La voix du sage et du peuple by Voltaire. Bound without terminal blank; x) [ANON.] Tout est dit. [n.p., n.p., 1763]. Ten works bound in a single vol., octavo (195 x 122 mm). Recent quarter calf to style, spine gilt in compartments with red morocco label, marbled sides. Neat ink number at head of each first page, inscriptions identifying authors (one ink, the rest pencil) to same. Contents with light uneven browning and toning, soiling to half-title of La Voix, generally fresh. Very good. Ambrose Saricks, Pierre Samuel Du Pont de Nemours, 1965.
