MODERN SCIENCE. 153 



SOCIOLOGY. 



1619 83. Colbert patronised science as well as art and 

 literature; was the earliest and greatest representative of 

 the progressive tendency of the industrial movement; made 

 MANUFACTURES, until then so despised by statesmen 

 generally, the permanent form of European industry; en- 

 couraged their growth by every means in his power, but 

 chiefly by removing many of the taxes and impositions under 

 which they languished, and protecting their interests wher- 

 ever they were threatened : was one of the precursors of the 

 Economists. It may not be out of place to mention that this 

 enlightened Minister suppressed execution for witchcraft and 

 accusation for sorcery in France. This act of common sense 

 and justice was the earliest of the kind in Europe. 



16941774. Quesnay, one of the founders of political 

 economy, advocated COMPLETE LIBERTY of agriculture, 

 commerce, industry, the abolition of customs in the provinces, 

 free circulation of corn. His motto was "Laissez faire et 

 laissez passer" The weak point of his school lies in the 

 doctrine that agriculture alone is capable of accumulating 

 wealth. Adam Smith and his followers rightly showed 

 that exchangeable products constitute real social wealth, and 

 that society benefits in proportion as labour increases their 

 value. 



17121778. Rousseau has commanded just as wide an 

 influence in another sphere of the social organism by his 

 scheme of SECULAR EDUCATION, which has been adopted by 

 the lay world in all civilised countries through the advocacy 

 of those whom he inspired Jean Paul Richter, Herder, 

 Basedow, Lavater, Pestalozzi, Jacobi, Schiller, Gothe. The 

 teaching introduced by Rousseau's educational reform in- 

 volved individual and public freedom, abolition of prejudices 

 and servitude, a new doctrine of happiness consisting in 

 limitation of desire, self-reliance, manhood, patriotism, work 

 as a duty for all (rich or poor), respect for truth, and craving 

 for justice. The system meant no less than the restoration 

 of naturalism. It need hardly be pointed out that, as 



