Physiocrats

Physiocrats were an 18th-century group of economists who believed that the wealth of nations came primarily from agriculture. They argued that land and natural resources were the source of all economic value, and they emphasized the importance of agriculture in generating wealth and supporting society. Led by figures like François Quesnay, they proposed that governments should allow free markets to operate without interference, promoting agricultural productivity as the foundation of economic prosperity. Their ideas laid the groundwork for later economic theories and highlighted the significance of natural resources in economic discussions.