Interest, sensationism and the science of the legislator: French ‘philosophie économique’, 1695–18301

Abstract

For many centuries religion dominated the thought and behaviour of peoples. From the end of the seventeenth century, however, it was progressively replaced by political economy, which in turn developed its full influence during the nineteenth century, imposing a new ‘ethos’ and a new ‘conduct of life’. So that we might better understand this fact, a Weberian ideal-type is proposed: philosophie économique. Illustrated by the works of Boisguilbert, Quesnay, Turgot and Say, it elaborates three main elements: interested behaviour, sensationism and a specific conception of the ‘science of the legislator’.