| Abstract: | Although Quesnay is usually regarded alongside Adam Smith as one of the founders of economic liberalism, there are conflicting interpretations of the extent to which Quesnay was committed to the principle of economic freedom. This paper maintains that the source of ‘ambiguity’ in Quensay's thought can be traced to his instrumentalist logic, which accommodates government action and government restraint - not as ideological axioms, but as utilitarian means to a specified end. It therefore helps to bring into sharper relief the essential differences between Quesnay and Smith regarding the relative position of freedom versus authority in an ideal economy. |
