Calonne - Charles-Alexandre de Calonne

He was the Inspector General of Finances just before the French Revolution. Born in Douai and educated at the University of Paris, he served as the Parlement of Artois and governor of Metz and Lille before succeeding Necker as Inspector General of Finances in 1783. He believed that it was impossible to raise taxes to eliminate the fiscal deficit, and he followed Necker's example in adopting a lax public debt policy, but he quickly found himself in a difficult position and made a sudden change in his policy. In 1786, he drew up an 18-point financial reform plan, including the creation of a temporary land tax to tax the two privileged estates, the nationwide imposition of a salt tax, the abolition of internal tariffs, the freedom of grain trading, and the abolition of corvée, and tried to get the approval of the Assembly of Notables, but it was rejected, leaving him isolated and forced to resign in April 1787, giving up his seat to Brienne.

He went into exile as soon as the revolution broke out in 1789, and from 1791 he participated in counter-revolutionary activities. However, his efforts were of little effect, and after Napoleon came to power he was given permission to return to France, but he died shortly thereafter without having accomplished anything. He wrote a book about the situation in France immediately after the outbreak of the revolution.

[Kinichi Higuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランス革命直前の財務総監。ドゥエに生まれ、パリの大学に学んだのち、アルトアの高等法院、メス、リールの知事を経て、1783年にネッケルの後を受けて財務総監に就任した。財政赤字解消のための増税は不可能として、ネッケルに倣い放漫な公債政策をとったが、たちまち窮地に陥り、政策を急転回させた。1786年、特権2身分への課税を目的とする臨時地租の新設、塩税の全国的賦課、国内関税の廃止、穀物取引の自由、賦役の廃止など18か条の財政改革計画をたて、名士会の承認を得ようとしたが、その否決にあい孤立、1787年4月辞職を余儀なくされブリエンヌに席を譲った。

　1789年、革命の勃発(ぼっぱつ)とともにいち早く亡命し、1791年から反革命活動に参加した。しかし、たいした効果もなく、ナポレオンの権力掌握後に許可を得て帰国、その後もなすところなくまもなく死去した。革命勃発直後のフランスの状況についての著書がある。

［樋口謹一］

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