Books

Dublin: Printed by Boulter Grierson, 1769. First Collected Edition. Despite the title only part of the work relates to Ireland. "The key figure in the development of an agrarian model in English political economy is William Petty. Petty is widely acknowledged to be a founder of classical political economy. Marx dubbed him "the father of English political economy" and praised his "audacious genius." Max Beer described Petty as "the pioneer of the English economics of production" and claimed that "he must be regarded as the initiator of classical English economics: he laid the foundations on which his successors—Smith and Ricardo—could erect their structures." In the view of Eric Roll, Petty is "the most important, as well as the earliest, English economist who prepared the way for the classical system," while writers such as Schumpeter, Spiegel, and Meek have praised him as the originator of the concept of economic interdependence through the division of labour and of…

An early work on political economy that addresses the structure of taxation and its effects on society and government. Petty, a notable economist and scientist, aimed to explore how taxes could be levied in a way that would support the state while also promoting economic productivity and social stability. In this treatise, Petty examines various types of taxes, including taxes on land, goods, income, and even labor, proposing that taxes should be structured in a way that doesn't harm industry or discourage people from working. He advocates for efficient tax collection and emphasizes the importance of fairness, suggesting that taxes should be proportional to people's ability to pay. Petty also discusses public expenditures and the need for government spending to be rational and geared toward the public good. He stresses the relationship between taxes and national prosperity, arguing that a well-organized tax system can enhance economic growth. His ideas about wealth distribution, labor, and economic management were advanced for his time and laid the groundwork for modern discussions on taxation and public finance. The treatise is significant for its early analysis of economic principles, and it reflects Petty's desire to apply scientific methods to solve practical problems in governance and economics. It remains an important historical document in the study of taxation and political economy.