Say family

   family of economists, industrialists, political figures

   Born in lyon, Jean-Baptiste Say (1767-1832), who was influenced by the theories of Adam Smith, the English philosopher, published his first work, Simple exposé de la manière dont se forment, se distribuent et se consomment les riches, in 1813. The manager of a cotton mill in Pas-de-Calais (1807-13), after the restoration he taught political theory and wrote on political economy (Catéchisme d'économie politique, 1815; translation of the works of David Ricardo, an English economist, 1819; Lettre à Malthus, 1820; Cours complet d'économie politique pratique, 1829-30), in which he argued for industrialization and free trade. His brother, Louis-Auguste Say (1774-1840), born in Lyon and also an economist, was the director of a sugar refinery at Nantes, was opposed to his economic theories, and, in his own work, Études sur les richesses des nations, argued that labor, as the productive force, was the source of wealth. Horace-Émile Say (1794-1860), born in Noisy-le-Sec, was the son of Jean-Baptiste Say. He served as the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Paris and undertook an inquiry into that city's industries. He founded the Société d'économie politique, the Journal des économists, and the Journal du commerce. Léon Say (1826-96), born in Paris, was the son of Horace-Émily Say. He served as prefect of the Seine (1871), minister of finances (1872-73, 1875-79), opposed socialism, and supported a policy of free exchange. He was elected to the Académie Française in 1886.