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Modèles, traditions, innovations. Le Peletier des Forts et la renaissance de la finance sous le règne de Louis XV

This chapter reconsiders the political ideas and fiscal policy of Le Peletier des Forts during his time as finance minister (1726-1730). It is based on unknown primary sources, in particular the secret correspondence between Le Peletier and Delacroix, dean of the company of general tax receivers, and memoranda written by the minister to cardinal de Fleury. These primary sources help understand Le Peletier’s policy and contrast his views John Law’s and the Paris brothers’ after the Mississippi Bubble. The chapter argues that Le Peletier’s main achievement was to adapt and modernise Colbert’s financial system which remained in place until 1789.