Gournay, Vincent de definition of Gournay, Vincent de in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Gournay, Vincent de (văNsäN` də g

rnā`), 1712–59, French economist, precursor of the physiocrats physiocrats (fĭz`ēəkrăts'), school of French thinkers in the 18th cent. who evolved the first complete system of economics.
..... Click the link for more information. and of Adam Smith. A wealthy merchant, he was in government service as intendant of commerce from 1751 to 1758. He translated and annotated the chief work of Josiah Child (see under Child, Sir John Sir Josiah Child, 1630–99, who was possibly his brother. A merchant and early mercantilist, he made a fortune supplying the navy and from 1681 to 1690 virtually ruled the East India Company, of which he was deputy governor (1684–86, 1688–90) and governor
..... Click the link for more information. and gathered around him a group of men interested in reforming the economy of France and in abolishing trade restrictions. His favorite phrase was "Laissez faire, laissez passer," and he is generally credited with being its originator. Unlike the physiocrats, he regarded industry and commerce as well as agriculture to be important sources of wealth.