Jean-Baptiste Colbert

Real World Example

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was the Minister of Finances under King Louis XIV of France and played a crucial role during the Age of Absolutism. He implemented policies to strengthen France's economy by improving tax collection, promoting industry, and encouraging overseas exploration and trade. Colbert's actions helped make France one of the most powerful and economically stable nations in Europe at the time. Today, his emphasis on economic development and state intervention can be seen in how modern governments manage economies, like when they support industries or regulate trade to boost national wealth. For example, when a government invests in infrastructure like roads and bridges to stimulate economic growth, it reflects Colbert’s ideas about the importance of state involvement in economic prosperity.