# The French — The Wealth of Nations character guide

> The French in The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** the French, The French, their

**First appearance:** 0048-ii-of-restraints-upon-the-importation-from-foreign-countries-of-such-goods-as-can-be-produced-at-home

## Who they are

French people as economic and political example.

## In the story

### [VIII: Of the Wages of Labour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/viii-of-the-wages-of-labour)

Reference to the French author and the manufactures of Elbeuf and Rouen used as evidence.

### [Of the Rise and Progress of Cities and Towns, After the Fall of the Roman Empire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/iii-of-the-rise-and-progress-of-cities-and-towns-after-the-fall-of-the-roman-empire)

Mentioned in the context of France's sovereign authority and the origin of burgh representation.

### [II: Of the Unreasonableness of Those Extraordinary Restraints Upon Other Principles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/ii-of-the-unreasonableness-of-those-extraordinary-restraints-upon-other-principles)

Mentioned as neighbors of Great Britain; their wealth and population make them ideal trading partners.

### [Of Drawbacks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/iv-of-drawbacks)

French goods were subject to higher retained duties and less favorable drawback treatment due to national prejudice.

### [VI: Of Treaties of Commerce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/vi-of-treaties-of-commerce)

Mentioned as a competing wine producer whose duties are used as a benchmark in the Methuen Treaty.

### [Of the Motives for Establishing New Colonies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/i-of-the-motives-for-establishing-new-colonies)

The French are noted as one of the European nations whose colonies yielded no gold or silver mines worth working.

### [II: Causes of the Prosperity of New Colonies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/ii-causes-of-the-prosperity-of-new-colonies)

Noted for not drawing significant revenue from colonies but having expensive colonial government and oppressive ecclesiastical taxes.

### [III: Of the Expense of Public Works and Public Institutions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/iii-of-the-expense-of-public-works-and-public-institutions)

Referenced regarding the oppressive Corvées under the intendants in France.

### [Article I: Of the Public Works and Institutions for Facilitating the Commerce of the Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/article-i-of-the-public-works-and-institutions-for-facilitating-the-commerce-of-the-society)

Discussed in the context of France's road maintenance system under intendants.

### [Article II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/article-ii)

Referenced in relation to the Vingtieme tax and its assessment on stock.

### [Taxes Upon the Profit of Particular Employments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/chapters/taxes-upon-the-profit-of-particular-employments)

Referenced in the context of the personal taille and the Vingtieme tax in France.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/characters/the_french
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wealth_of_nations_se/characters