Le Commerce et le gouvernement

work by Condillac

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June 24, 2026

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Le Commerce et le gouvernement (1776) by Étienne Bonnot de Condillac is a work that explores the relationship between commerce and government. Condillac, a French philosopher and economist, argued that value is determined by utility, not labor. He believed that the need for something useful creates its value, and prices arise from the exchange of these valued items.1

This perspective aligns with the broader ideas of the Physiocrats, a school of economic thought in 18th-century France. The Physiocrats emphasized natural economic laws and believed that land was the primary source of wealth, advocating for minimal government intervention in the economy. Condillac's work contributed to these economic discussions by focusing on how utility drives value and influences market prices.21

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Étienne Bonnot de Condillac
…views, which were presented in Le Commerce et le gouvernement, were based on the notion that value depends not on labour but rather on utility. The need for something useful, he argued, gives rise to value, while prices result from the exchange of valued items.
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…views, which were presented in Le Commerce et le gouvernement, were based on the notion that value depends not on labour but rather on utility. The need for something useful, he argued, gives rise to value, while prices result from the exchange of valued items.
Read More