The age of Du Pont de Nemours

This book aims to retrace the life and work of Pierre-Samuel Du Pont de Nemours, a multi-faceted man whose influence extended from the Parisian salons of the eighteenth century to the shores of the New World, by exploring the unique trajectory of his life, drawing on a wealth of documentation and contemporary accounts. From this individual study, it not only does justice to a man whose work and ideas continue to inspire academics around the world, but also explores a part of Franco-American history that is often overlooked.

Du Pont de Nemours is a well-known figure who has been the subject of numerous studies. Therefore, his hectic and tumultuous life has been the subject of several biographies, and he is best known for his membership in the 'sect of Economists' founded by François Quesnay and the Marquis de Mirabeau in 1757. While significant, these studies are limiting in that they leave the ideas he defended and the actions he took in the political, administrative, and legal spheres still largely unknown. Consequently, this makes the originality of the present work twofold: it takes Du Pont de Nemours out of the realm of physiocratic studies to focus on his thought and action alongside removing him from the rut of the history of economic thought to expand into the history of law and socio-history of political ideas.

In light of Du Pont de Nemours' career, the volume adopts a bilingual approach and features essays in both English and French, in the aim of enabling readers to grasp the scope of Du Pont de Nemours' legacy, understand the challenges he faced, and appreciate the long-lasting contributions he made to modern society.