Foreword

FOREWORD I N the field of the history of Economics there are still vast tracts untilled and even uncleared. Among the more im portant of these unreclaimed stretches is the economic lit erature of Spain. We forget that Spain was at one time the foremost European country in both wealth and politics and it would be surprising if there had not been an active dis cussion at the time of the many important problems which arose out of its economic life. This economic literature is almost wholly unknown in foreign countries. For many years I have been interested in this Spanish literature, and have been eager to find some one who might be competent to, and disposed for, the undertaking of its study. In Father Laures I finally discovered a scholar who was exceptionally well qualified, with his careful training in mediaeval lore, his unusual linguistic accomplishments, and his thorough command of Economics.

I accordingly urged and abetted him in the present treatise, rather regretfully, I must now admit, for Mariana and his times from an economic standpoint have always greatly attracted my interest. Mariana's fame, or rather his notoriety, as a monarch omach, has caused the modern world entirely to overlook his substantial achievements in the field of Economics. Mariana, however, was only one of a group of Spanish scholars who v FOREWORD made noteworthy contributions to the field of Public Finance as well. Accordingly I urged Father Laures to broaden his researches in order to be able to make a comparison between Mariana and the other Spanish Jesuits who attained prom inence in this field. Father Laures has attacked his problem with commend able zeal and enthusiasm and has made good use of the original sources. He has in my opinion given us a distinct contribution and has enriched the history of economic doc trines with a noteworthy study which will, I trust, before long lead to equally noteworthy successors.

EDWIN R. A. SELIGMAN, McVickar Professor of Political Economy Columbia University. New York, February, 1928 vi AUTHOR'S PREFACE C ERTAIN names in history cannot he mentioned with out arousing a sense of indignation. The Spanish J esuit, Juan de Mariana, is, for example, considered hy many the typical representative of that "Jesuitical teach ing" which threatens the lives of sovereign princes and rulers. For these people Mariana and regicide are insep arahly connected ideas. Until recently very few, even among scholars, took the trouhle to inquire further ahout this strange man who caused such a stir in his own day. That he was one of the greatest of Spanish historians and that he wrote learned treatises on divers other suhjects was seldom noticed. Mariana taught one false and fatal doctrine and that has sufficed to condemn him; he did one wrong, and so all the good he accomplished has been overlooked.