Galiani

Galiani, FERDINANDO, an Italian writer on political economy, was born in Chieti, in the Neapolitan province of Abruzzo Citeriore, on 2d December 1728. Although educated for the church, his favourite studies were philosophy, history, archaeology, and more especially political economy. He early gained a reputation as a wit by the publication of a volume parodying, in a series of discourses on the death of the public executioner, the principal Neapolitan writers of the day. About the same time he wrote his first work on political economy, entitled Della Moneta, the leading principle of which is that coin is a merchandise, and that its value and interest ought to be left free, as in other goods. His appointment as secretary of legation at Paris in 1759 brought him into contact with the Encyclopedists and the economic writers of that capital. Five years later he published Dialoghi sul Commercio del Grano ('Dialogues upon the Trade in Corn'), in which he argues against both the extreme protectionists and the pure free-traders. After his recall to Naples in 1769 he became successively councillor of the tribunal of commerce and (1777) minister of the royal domains. He died at Naples, 30th October 1787. See his Correspondance with M^me. D'Epinay, Holbach, Grimm, Diderot, &c. (1818; new ed. 1881).