Profile Major Works Resources

Johann August Schlettwein, 1731–1802.

German Physiocrat.

Johann August Schlettwein was born near Weimar and studied law and cameralistics at the University of Jena.  His early work was mostly unfocused, ranging from philosophy to theology.

In 1763, Schlettwein moved to Karlsruhe and entered the service of Charles Frederick, Margrave of Baden. Both Schlettwein and Baden converted to Physiocracy not long after his arrival, although it is uncertain who influenced whom.  Nonetheless, Schlettwein proved to be the more zealous advocate, and would spend much of the rest of his life eagerly promoting Physiocratic schemes - although critics have often doubted Schlettwein's grasp of the theory beyond its superficial outlines and policy conclusions; Schumpeter compared him to a patent medicine salesman, "the type of economist who will I fear never die out and who will forever discredit economics in the eyes of men whose approval is worth having" (Schumpeter, 1954: 219)

In 1770, Baden placed Schlettwein in charge of implementing experimental Physiocratic policies, including the single tax, in three Badisch villages - Dietlingen, Theningen and Balingen. In 1771, Schlettwein accompanied Baden to Paris to consult with the Physiocrats in person and wrote his first report on village experiments (pub. 1772). In response to critics, Schlettwein composed a long work, not quite addressing their points, but more just reiterating the principles of Physiocratic doctrine and policy (1773).

In 1773, Schlettwein broke with Baden and left for Vienna, hoping to procure an office in Austrian government. This went nowhere, and in 1776 he was invited by Isaak Iselin to Basel, where he carved out a living as a lecturer.  In 1777, Schlettwein moved to Hessen-Darmstadt to take up a chair in the new Oeconomie faculty at the university of Giessen. Finally stabilized, Schlettwein wrote his second major treatise, the Grundfeste (1779), partly as a reply to Dohm's critique and the basis for his Giessen lectures.  Schlettwein also launched a journal, the Archiv für den Menschen und Bürger in allen Verhältnissen, which ran from 1780 to 1784, recast as Neues Archiv from 1785 to 1788.

Schlettwein's activities and policy advocacy offended officials in Hessen-Darmstadt and in 1785, Schlettwein was pressured to resign his professorship at Giessen. He retired to his wife's small family estate in Mecklenburg, where he re-launched the journal as the Neues Archiv (1785-88). Private strife led to him to decamp by himself to Greifswald, lecturing at the local university from 1790.  

 

  

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Major Works of Johann August Schlettwein

  • Les moyens d'arrêter la misère publique et d'acquitter les dettes des états, 1772  [bk] [German 1772 trans]
  • Die wichtigste Angelegenheit für das ganze Publikum, oder die natürliche Ordnung in der Politik überhaupt, 1773
  • Briefe an eine freundinn über die Leiden des jungen Werthers, 1775 [bk]
  • Des jungen Werthers Zuruf aus der Ewigkeit an die noch lebende Menschen auf der Erde, 1775 [bk]
  • Schriften für alle Staaten zur Aufklärung der Ordnung der Natur im Staats-, Regierungs- und Finanzwesen, 1775
  • Grundfeste der Staaten; oder, Die politische Oekonomie, 1779 [bk]
  • "Briefe an die königliche Societät der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen über das physiokratische Regierungssystem. Erster brief von den ersten Grundsätzen des physiocratischen Systems", 1780, Archiv für Menschen und Bürger
  • Die Rechte der Menschheit oder der einzige wahre Grund aller Gesetze, Ordnungen und Verfassungen, 1784 [bk] [1787 ed]
  • Die wichtigste Angelegenheit für Europa: oder System eines festen Friedens unter den europäischen Staaten zwischen Rußland und der Pforte, 1791 [bk]

 
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Resources on J.A. Schlettwein

 

 
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