Its economic policy
Economy
The economic policy of Louis XIV is simple:the king spends on war all the money that Mazarin and then Colbert strive to bring into the coffers of the state. Under Mazarin, this fiscal pressure is at the origin of many rebellions both at the level of the aristocracy (the Fronde) and the people (the jacqueries):
* the revolt of the clog-makers of Sologne (from April to August 1658).
* the revolt of Boulonnais in May 1662 (also called the "revolt of the Lustucrus").
After Mazarin, Colbert also multiplied economic initiatives:
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he invents his own version of mercantilism which is then called Colbertism. Its concept can be summed up in a few words:increase exports and reduce imports.
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he created factories which could be state-owned (Beauvais tapestries, Gobelins) or private (Saint-Gobain). To bring in foreign currency, Colbert promotes exports through state aid and limits imports by establishing strong protectionism. It encourages the best craftsmen in Europe to come and work in France to have products of the best possible quality and therefore easier to sell.
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to facilitate trade, he improves infrastructure by creating roads. With the help of his son, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay, he developed the merchant navy to sell products and the "royal navy" (military) to protect convoys.
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It promotes the development of colonies and the creation of commercial companies:Compagnie des Indes Orientales (Indian Ocean), Compagnie des Indes Occidentales (Americas), Compagnie du Levant (Mediterranean and Ottoman Empire) and Compagnie du Sénégal (Africa) to promote trade. triangle of slaves.
The development of colonies
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In 1654, New France (Acadia and Canada) was colonized for its natural resources, especially pelts. It is managed by the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France.
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In 1659, a first French counter, named "Saint-Louis" in homage to the king, was installed on the island of Ndar in Senegal. The country was ceded to the Compagnie du Sénégal in 1673 to transfer black slaves to the West Indies.
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In 1665, Louis XIV created the French East India Company, initially based in Madagascar. The same year, Colbert bought Guadeloupe from Charles Houel du Petit Pré, former director of the Compagnie des Îles d’Amérique, and the island of Martinique from Jacques Dyel Duparquet. All these territories were entrusted to the management of the Compagnie des Indes, which went bankrupt in 1674, when these territories became part of the royal domain.
* In 1677, by order of the king, Admiral d'Estrées took over French Guyana from the Dutch.
* In 1682, La Salle founded a new French colony at the mouth of the Mississippi which was named Louisiana (New France) in honor of King Louis.
* In 1697, the Treaty of Ryswick assigns the western half of the island of Santo Domingo, (now Haiti) to France.
Despite everything, the colonies are more a priority for Colbert than for the king. We need cannon fodder to fight the wars in Europe and we send very few people to the colonies:the engaged and the young orphans nicknamed "the king's daughters" in Canada (New France). Colbert saw the potential resources in the development of the colonies, but in his correspondence with the intendants of New France, he was strict:the colonies served the kingdom and should not develop to the detriment of French industry. To encourage natural increase, he created fines for single male settlers over 20 and unmarried girls over 16. In addition, it allocates the sum of 300 pounds to families with more than 10 children.
The Black Code
In March 1685, Louis XIV promulgated the "Black Code", authorizing the full use of slaves in the colonies. Its detractors see it as an institutionalization of slavery. It was designed as a limitation on abuse and gave status to slaves. Before its establishment, slaves were considered a material good, just like a chair. With this code, they are recognized a right to property, limited but existing, a right to retirement and an obligation of good treatment for the owners as well as the obligation to feed them well. This code, although badly applied because of the pressure of the settlers on justice, would have had the merit of having wanted to give a framework to the slave trade of the time.