----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- As previously stated, French economists say "laisser faire" as well as "laissez faire" (the formula is sometimes extended to "laissez faire, laissez passer" (the second part is a further plea for free trade). I read a paper on the origin of the formula (may be by Oncken beginning of the 90's (I mean 1890), in a German review : probably the Jahrbuch für Nationalökonomie und Statistik (the only German review at this time in the Toulouse University library). The author tracked the origin to Colbert : Colbert has visited the Chamber of Commerce of Reims after a natural disaster and he should have asked what kind of measure they expected from the government. The merchants should have answered "Laissez nous faire". I don't know if the anecdote is true, but clearly it opposes the paragon of interventionism to the "spontaneous" liberal reaction of businessmen. ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]