Jean-Baptiste Say is a somewhat controversial figure in the history of economic thought. He is most famous for 'Say's Law' which is widely (though some would say incorrectly) understood to mean that supply creates its own demand. This book provides a thorough, enlightened study of an important figure in economics.

This volume is the first full-length biography of Jean-Baptiste Say (1767-1832), the most famous French classical economist. During his lifetime Say actively took part in three revolutions: the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution and the establishment of economics as an academic discipline. He struggled with Bonaparte, was the owner of a cotton spinning mill, and published his famous Treatise of political economy and many other economic writings.