Context: This was written in 1664 on trading. It is a letter to the town Marseilles to encourage trade. He wants to improve his own country's economy with the help of others. The author of this letter is King Louis XIV of France. This was written towards the beginning of his monarchy which lasted from 1643 to 1716. This type of letter was very typical from Louis XIV. His reign is also associated with the greatest age of French culture and art.
Author: Louis XIV, known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was a monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France from 1643 until his death.
Summarize: This is a letter to the town of Marseilles from King Louis XIV to explain how their foreign and domestic commerce. They decided to create a council that is devoted to commerce for the revival. The plan was to set aside livres to be used for manufactures and navigation each year to support the companies of the East and West Indies. They are working to get rid of the tolls collected on rivers and give money to repair highways instead. Merchants and sea traders will receive subsidies (sum of money) for each ton of merchandise they import or export on the voyages. He explains that he wants the men of Marseilles to participate in commerce.
Quotation: “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: that we will assist by money from our royal treasury all those who wish to reestablish old manufactures or to undertake new ones;...”
This document describes the basic tenets of mercantilism - the dominant economic system during the Age of Exploration and absolutism.
ReplyDelete"Being informed of the favorable treatment which we desire to give them, they may be the more desirous of applying themselves to commerce."