1700 An Essay upon the Probable Methods of Making a People Gainers in the Ballance of Trade

Description

Early Edition, Folding Plates, Illustrated, Leather Binding, Scarce

The scarce second edition of English mercantilist economist, politician, and pamphleteer Charles Davenant's treatise on 'political arithmetic'. Published the year after the first edition.

Collated, illustrated with four of the six folding plates called for.

Discussing the natural resources of England, and their value, Davenant discusses areas of national economics including population studies, marriage, immigration, family incomes and poverty, examining the theory that 'a country cannot increase in wealth and power but by private men doing their duty to the public'.

ESTC reference no. R24873

With the contemporary inscription of William Berners to the title page, and 'Davenant' - indicating the author of the work - in small letters to the head of the front pastedown.

Discussing the natural resources of England, and their value, the work has since been regarded as more of an impassioned - yet informative - diatribe than an exposition of economic ideas.