Introduction générale aux Œuvres morales et politiques de Jean-Baptiste Say

Texts presented in this volume cover a period which goes from 1789 till 1832. From 22 years to 65 years, age in which he died, Jean-Baptiste Say did not stop being interested fervently in the political questions of its time. It was there one of the actors, modest in its debuts, then more and more mattering, being next to the biggest figures of the Revolution, the Consulate, the Empire and the Restoration. This passion of the public good, embodied her in the Republic by going volunteer in the armies of the Revolution, then in the national police. Man of action and reflection, theorist and publicity agent, he will combine all his life these various aspects, expressing himself this afternoon as journalist in the Decade, as Tribune presenting connections on different bills under the Consulate, then in the liberal press under the Restoration or as theorist in different papers, published or unpublished, collected in this volume. The papers of Jean-Baptiste Say about politiucs and moral behavior, that it is about printed works or about unpublished manuscripts, are documents little known except a little number of specialists. Texts collected in this volume will allow to enlighten certain number of important episodes of the political history of France under the Directory, the Consulate and the Restoration.