About
Gustave de Molinari (1819-1912) was a Belgian economist and a leading figure of the laissez-faire school in France during the 19th century. He is widely regarded as a precursor of anarcho-capitalism for his 1849 essay 'The Production of Security', in which he argued that security could be provided by competing private firms rather than by a state monopoly. After self-imposed exile in Belgium following the 1851 coup, he taught political economy in Brussels and Antwerp. He later edited the Journal des Débats (1871-1876) and the Journal des Économistes (1881-1909). A prolific author, he wrote about fifty books, including 'Les Soirées de la Rue Saint-Lazare' (1849) and 'The Society of Tomorrow' (1899).
* 1819-03-03 — † 1912-01-28
Major works
- De la Production de la Sécurité (1849)essay
- Les Soirées de la Rue Saint-Lazare (1849)philosophical dialogue
- Cours d'économie politique (1855)treatise
- L'Évolution économique du dix-neuvième siècle (1880)book
- Esquisse de l'Organisation politique et économique de la Société future (1899)book
Key milestones
- 1849Publication of 'The Production of Security', laying the groundwork for a market in security.
- 1852Appointed professor of political economy at the Royal Museum of Belgian Industry in Brussels.
- 1881Becomes editor-in-chief of the Journal des Économistes, a position he held until 1909.
Themes
free marketanarcho-capitalismcompetitionrole of the stateclassical liberalism
Sources: oll.libertyfund.org · oll.libertyfund.org · econlib.org