11 pages in length. Louis XIV and Jean Baptiste Colbert are perhaps the two most notable -- if not disdainful -- names associated with French political history. With Louis XIV exalting himself as supreme totalitarian ruler and Colbert focusing solely upon progressive external economy to the complete detriment of any internal economy, the two men played a significant role in the new economic regulation and its effect in French economic and power. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Name of Research Paper File: LM1_TLCLouisXIV.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
totalitarian ruler and Colbert focusing solely upon progressive external economy to the complete detriment of any internal economy, the two men played a significant role in the new economic regulation
and its effect in French economic and power. II. AGAINST THE ODDS The self-imposed power vested in Jean Baptiste Colbert was forever at odds with the extravagances of Louis
XIV; as the minister of finance attempted to maintain a solvent country amid the kings lavishness, their relationship was nothing if not opposing. Colberts primary objective was to expand
commerce by way of the Mercantilist doctrine, an idea he wholly supported because of its ability to establish and maintain a "favorable balance of trade"1 and, thereby, secure the State
economic position. Colbertisme became the term associated with the ministers approach to financial stability, with Colbert taking an active role in such policy-making by creating chambers of commerce, indulging
his charter companies, diverting capital to export and import-substitution industries, establishing duty and tariff protection and hindering foreigners from trading in French colonies.2 One critical element he purposely overlooked,
however, was the thing that would build the foundation from within by supporting the people inside their own country: internal commerce. Colbert staunchly believed that internal commerce was wholly useless
for State wealth and, therefore, did absolutely nothing to promote it. As such, the people who made their livings as farmers or manufacturers suffered greatly by being "locked in
the stifling embrace of Medieval town crafts and merchant guilds."3 Compounding the issue were the overwhelming internal tariffs and various restrictions imposed upon both goods and labor, forcing internal
commerce to stagnate in its own locale. As was typical during the time, landowners were not slapped with the same "incredibly regressive tax system,"4 nor were they detrimentally impacted