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How did Jean-Baptiste Colbert use monthly financial statements to manage the French treasury?

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Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who served as the comptroller general of finance under King Louis XIV, utilized monthly financial statements as a primary tool to bring order to the chaotic state of French administration.12

By presenting the king with these regular reports, Colbert aimed to provide a clear, transparent view of the financial situation of the state. This practice was part of his broader effort to make the machinery of government more efficient by emphasizing close supervision and administrative detail.2

While these monthly statements were a significant innovation in tracking the treasury's status, they were not always successful in curbing royal spending; Colbert’s annual estimates for the following year often failed to persuade Louis XIV to adopt economies when the king’s priorities lay elsewhere. Nevertheless, through these reports and by tightening the tax-collecting administration, Colbert succeeded in producing a surplus within 10 years of taking office.2