Response to the Paradoxes of Malestroit

by Jean Bodin

'Bodin's Reply to Malestroit (1568) is rightly regarded as a milestone in the development of the quantity theory of money... while Bodin was the most influential contemporary writer to underline the role of New World specie as the main cause of inflation he was no crude bullionist'
- Glyn Davies, A History of Money (1994)

Jean Bodin (1529-96) is chiefly known for his highly influential theory of the modern nation state, Six livres de la republique . However, his shorter treatise, Responce aux Paradoxes de Monsieur de Malestroit , addressed the particular problems of economic and financial policy, and in doing so he broke new ground. For its time, it was a remarkable piece of economic and political analysis.

This is a new and complete translation of Bodin's treatise with notes, introduction and bibliography. Based on the first edition of 1568, it incorporates the considerable additions and amendments which Bodin introduced into the second edition of 1578. These additions include a substantial section from the Six livres de la republique in which Bodin argues a case against debasement of the coinage and in favour of sound money. The volume thus gives a complete picture of Bodin's political economy and the stages of its development. It will be of value not only to students of history and political economy but also to professional scholars to whom the text might not otherwise be readily available.

—the first widely available complete translation into English of this scarce text
—new editorial materials set Bodin's thought in the context of modern economic ideas
—includes an important historical analysis of inflation
of value to students and researchers in history, economics and political economy

Genres: Economics

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1568

About the author

Jean Bodin (1530–1596) was a French jurist and political philosopher, member of the Parlement of Paris and professor of law in Toulouse. He is best known for his theory of sovereignty; he was also an influential writer on demonology.
Bodin lived during the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation and wrote against the background of religious conflict in France. He remained a nominal Catholic throughout his life but was critical of papal authority over governments, favouring the strong central control of a national monarchy as an antidote to factional strife. Toward the end of his life he wrote, but did not publish, a dialogue among different religions, including representatives of Judaism, Islam and natural theology, in which all agreed to coexist in concord.

Jean Bodin (1530-1596) était un juriste et philosophe politique français, membre du Parlement de Paris et professeur de droit à Toulouse. Il est surtout connu pour sa théorie de la souveraineté; il était également un écrivain influent sur la démonologie.
Bodin a vécu au lendemain de la Réforme protestante et a écrit dans le contexte du conflit religieux en France. Il resta un catholique nominal tout au long de sa vie mais critiqua l'autorité papale sur les gouvernements, favorisant le contrôle central fort d'une monarchie nationale comme antidote aux conflits entre factions. Vers la fin de sa vie, il a écrit, mais n'a pas publié, un dialogue entre différentes religions, y compris des représentants du judaïsme, de l'islam et de la théologie naturelle, dans lequel tous ont accepté de coexister dans la concorde.