Jacques+Turgot

=**Anne Robert Jacques Turgot**=

Class: Noble Profession: Economist Country: France Date of Birth: May 10, 1727

I was born into a wealthy merchant family and was originally supposed to be a clerical-academic. After I decided not to join the church, I persued a career in the royal administration. I served on the Parliment of Paris from 1751-1760. From 1761-1774, I worked as chief administrator for Limoges. There I was able to build roads and improve tax collection. From 1774-1776 I served as a minister of finance under King Louis XVI. While there I tried to keep government spending under check. In 1775, I lifted the controls on the internal trade of grain, which would have been benificial if there wasn't a huge crop failure that year. In 1776, I ordered the Six Edicts, which made me very unpopular with every class of person, except for the King. I was dismissed in 1776 when I refused to endulge one of Marie Antoinette's expenses. Upon leaving, I warned the King of the impending danger if he were to go back on any of my policies. I died on March 18,1781 I never lived to see the outbreak of the Revolution.

(Brielle Rowe)