288 POLITICAL SCIENCE 



the writings of DONOYER and BASTIAT. English influence 

 was clearly uppermost at this time ; and after the tariff 

 barriers between England and France had been largely 

 removed in 1860, the influence of the Manchester School 

 became even more pronounced. The commercial agree- 

 ment just alluded to was largely the work of the eminent 

 French statesman and economist, CHEVALIER, and the 

 English free-trader Cobden. 



During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, 

 two factors had an important bearing upon the character 

 of French economic thought. The host of practical 

 questions resulting from the Franco-Prussian War 

 stimulated research in the direction of solutions for 

 these pressing problems. Beginning in 1878, this ten- 

 dency received additional momentum by the institution 

 of economic courses in the law faculties of various French 

 Universities, in which the instruction was given a more 

 practical turn, greater emphasis being placed upon the 

 legal and administrative phases of these problems. 



The teaching of economics is profoundly influenced by 

 this realistic tendency. Economics is studied either as 

 preparation for administrative work or in connection with 

 engineering and business. It is taught in nearly all the 

 technical schools, and some subjects that receive general 

 attention here appear only in the curricula of the tech- 

 nical schools. The economic problems of railroads, for 

 instance, are treated at the Ecole des Fonts et Chaus- 

 sees. Opportunities for advanced study are most con- 

 siderable at Paris. The larger choice of courses is offered 

 by the Law School and the Ecole Libre des Sciences 

 Politiques, the latter a private institution not subject 

 to the authority of the Minister of Public Instruction. 

 Some work in economics is done at the Ecole Pratique 

 des Hautes Etudes, and there are public lectures at the 

 College de France. At the Law School and at the ficole 



