Josiah Tucker
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Josiah Tucker (also Josias) (December 1713 – 4 November 1799), also known as Dean Tucker, was a Welsh churchman, known as an economist and political writer. He was concerned in his works with
free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold Economic liberalism, economically liberal positions, while economic nationalist politica ...
,
Jewish emancipation Jewish emancipation was the process in various nations in Europe of eliminating Jewish disabilities, to which European Jews were then subject, and the recognition of Jews as entitled to equality and citizenship rights. It included efforts withi ...
and
American independence The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American Revolutionary War ...
. He became
Dean of Gloucester The Dean of Gloucester is the head (''primus inter pares'': first among equals) and chair of the chapter of canons - the ruling body of Gloucester Cathedral - and senior priest of the Diocese of Gloucester. The dean and chapter are based at Glouce ...
.


Life

He was born at
Laugharne, Carmarthenshire Laugharne () is a town on the south coast of Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Tâf. The Ancient borough#Charters, ancient borough of Laugharne Township () with its #Laugharne Corporation, Corporation and Charter is a ...
; his father inherited a small estate near
Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...
, and sent his son to
Ruthin School Ruthin School is a private day and boarding school located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire, North Wales. It is over seven hundred years old, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. Originally a sch ...
,
Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, Flintshire to the east, Wrexham to the southeast, Powys to the south, and Gwynedd and Conwy to the west. Rhyl is the largest town, and Ruthi ...
. Tucker obtained an
exhibition An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...
at
St John's College, Oxford St John's College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded as a men's college in 1555, it has been coeducational since 1979.Communication from Michael Riordan, college archivist Its foun ...
. He graduated B.A. in 1736, M.A. in 1739, and DD in 1755. In 1737 he became curate of St. Stephen's Church in
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, and two years later rector of All Saints' Church in the same city. He was appointed to a minor canonry in the cathedral, and was noticed by Bishop
Joseph Butler Joseph Butler (18 May 1692 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 16 June 1752 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was an English Anglican bishop, Christian theology, theologian, apologist, and philosopher, born in Wantage in the English count ...
, to whom he was for a time domestic chaplain. On the death of
Alexander Stopford Catcott Alexander Stopford Catcott (1692–1749) was an English churchman from Bristol, and headmaster of Bristol Grammar School from 1722 to 1743 or 1744. He preached in favour of Hutchinsonian ideas. Career He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree but chose ...
in 1749 Tucker was appointed by the chancellor to the rectory of St. Stephen's. In 1754 Robert Nugent was elected for Bristol, supported by Tucker; Nugent's influence probably contributed to his preferment. He was appointed to the third prebendal stall at Bristol on 28 October 1756, and on 13 July 1758 as
Dean of Gloucester The Dean of Gloucester is the head (''primus inter pares'': first among equals) and chair of the chapter of canons - the ruling body of Gloucester Cathedral - and senior priest of the Diocese of Gloucester. The dean and chapter are based at Glouce ...
. Tucker, as Dean of Gloucester, saw something of
William Warburton William Warburton (24 December 16987 June 1779) was an English writer, literary critic and churchman, Bishop of Gloucester from 1759 until his death. He edited editions of the works of his friend Alexander Pope, and of William Shakespeare. Lif ...
, who became bishop in 1759, having previously been
Dean of Bristol The Dean of Bristol is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Bristol, England. The Dean is Mandy Ford, since her installation on 3 October 2020. List of deans Early modern *1542–1551 William Sn ...
. They did not like each other, and, according to Tucker, the bishop said that the dean made a religion of his trade and a trade of his religion. (According to another version, the person said to make a trade of his religion was
Samuel Squire Samuel Squire (1714 – 7 May 1766) was a Bishop of the Church of England and a historian. Early life Squire was the son of a druggist in Warminster, Wiltshire, and was first educated at Lord Weymouth's Grammar School. He matriculated at S ...
, who succeeded Warburton as Dean of Bristol.) He became infirm, and in 1790 asked to resign his rectory at Bristol on condition that his curate might succeed to it. The chancellor refused to give the required promise, until, at Tucker's request, his petitioners signed a petition on behalf of the curate. Tucker then resigned, and the curate was appointed. Tucker died on 4 November 1799 and was buried in the south transept of
Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity and formerly St Peter's Abbey, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishme ...
, where a monument was erected to his memory.


Works and views

His first published work was an attack on
Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
. Tucker became conspicuous in the controversy which arose in 1771 as to the proposed abolition of clerical subscription to the Thirty-Nine Articles. He defended the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
against
Andrew Kippis Andrew Kippis (28 March 17258 October 1795) was an English nonconformist clergyman and biographer. Life The son of Robert Kippis, a silk-hosier, he was born at Nottingham. Having gone to Carre's Grammar School in Sleaford, Lincolnshire he pas ...
, but said that some relaxation of the terms of subscription was desirable. At Bristol Tucker took an interest in matters of politics and trade. Recent research has shown how he was influenced by the meta-ethics and moral philosophy of Bishop Butler, which he transposed into Christian economic discourse at about mid-century. After some early tracts he first became generally known by pamphlets in favour of the measures for naturalising foreign Protestants and
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, a view so unpopular that he was burnt in effigy at Bristol along with his pamphlets. In those Tucker was supporting Robert Nugent, who in 1753 introduced a bill in Parliament for the
naturalisation Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...
of foreigners. He made his name as an economist with ''A Brief Essay on the Advantages and Disadvantages which Respectively Attend France and Great Britain, with Regard to Trade'' (1749). It was translated into French and may have influenced the later French
physiocrats Physiocracy (; from the Greek for "government of nature") is an economic theory developed by a group of 18th-century Age of Enlightenment French economists. They believed that the wealth of nations derived solely from the value of "land agricult ...
(''economistes''). Tucker had a reputation for his knowledge of trade, and in 1755 was asked by
Thomas Hayter Thomas Hayter (1702 – 9 January 1762) was an English whig divine, who served as a Church of England bishop for 13 years as Bishop of Norwich (1749–1761) then Bishop of London (1761–1762), and was a royal chaplain. As a party advocate of t ...
, then
bishop of Norwich The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary (Catholic Church), ordinary of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Norwich, Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers most of the county of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. Th ...
and royal preceptor, to draw up a treatise called ''Elements of Commerce and the Theory of Taxes'' for the instruction of the future King (
George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
of Great Britain). A fragment was privately printed, but it was never completed. He has been suggested as a source of some of
Adam Smith Adam Smith (baptised 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the field of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as the "father of economics"——— or ...
's ideas, even if for a century after his death he was dismissed as a pamphleteer writing controversial ephemera on questions of passing interest. In 1757, he published a prescriptive travel guide called ''Instructions for Travellers''. It was part of a larger, unpublished work also related to economics, probably requested by Thomas Hayter. The ''Instructions'' includes discussions of both moral and practical aspects of travel, as well as appropriate ways of recording observations. He opposed warfare on economic grounds. In 1763 Tucker published a tract against ‘going to war for the sake of trade,’ which was translated by
Turgot Turgot may refer to: * Turgot of Durham ( – 1115), Prior of Durham and Bishop of St Andrews * Michel-Étienne Turgot (1690–1751), mayor of Paris * Anne Robert Jacques Turgot (1727–1781), French economist and statesman * Louis Félix Étienne, ...
, who had previously translated one of the naturalisation pamphlets, and ''The Elements of Commerce and Theory of Taxes'' (privately printed, 1755),translated as ''Questions sur le commerce'' in 1753. He wrote in complimentary terms to Tucker some years later, and sent him a copy of the 'Réflexions sur la Formation des Richesses'. He mentions a visit of Tucker to Paris, but they were not personally acquainted. His assertion as early as 1749 that the American colonies would seek independence as soon as they no longer needed Britain has brought him to the attention of American historians. He consistently wrote in favour of American independence through the American Revolutionary War. He wrote pamphlets, including ''A Series of Answers to Certain Popular Objections Against Separating from the Rebellious Colonies'' (1776). Tucker argued with both
Edmund Burke Edmund Burke (; 12 January ew Style, NS1729 – 9 July 1797) was an Anglo-Irish Politician, statesman, journalist, writer, literary critic, philosopher, and parliamentary orator who is regarded as the founder of the Social philosophy, soc ...
and
John Wilkes John Wilkes (17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797) was an English Radicalism (historical), radical journalist and politician, as well as a magistrate, essayist and soldier. He was first elected a Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlese ...
over attitudes to Britain's American colonies and took a distinctive position on the
American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. As early as 1766, he thought a separation inevitable. But he was also hostile to the Americans. He maintained in pamphlets that a separation from the colonies was desirable. He held that the supposed advantage of the colonial trade to the mother country was a delusion. On the other hand, he maintained that the colonies turned adrift would fall out with each other, and be glad to return to political union. The policy pleased nobody in England, and Tucker, though his views were approved in later years by many of the '' laisser-faire'' economists, was for a time treated as a
Cassandra Cassandra or Kassandra (; , , sometimes referred to as Alexandra; ) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecy, prophecies but never to be believed. In modern usage her name is e ...
, a name under which he published in the newspapers. The most popular of his American tracts was ''Cui Bono?'' in the form of letters addressed to
Jacques Necker Jacques Necker (; 30 September 1732 – 9 April 1804) was a Republic of Geneva, Genevan banker and statesman who served as List of Finance Ministers of France, finance minister for Louis XVI of France, Louis XVI. He was a reformer, but his innov ...
(1781), arguing that the war was a mistake for all the nations concerned. In political theory he was an opponent of the
social contract In moral and political philosophy, the social contract is an idea, theory, or model that usually, although not always, concerns the legitimacy of the authority of the state over the individual. Conceptualized in the Age of Enlightenment, it ...
theory which held all the mainstream writers of his day. In 1781 he published ''A Treatise Concerning Civil Government'', attacking
John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) – 28 October 1704 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.)) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thi ...
's principles as tending to democracy, and supporting the British constitution. In 1785 he again applied his theories to the disputes about Irish trade with Great Britain. Tucker was an advocate for increase in British population, to the extent that he advocated a tax on bachelors; he welcomed immigrants and regretted the emigration to America. He embraced the
free market In economics, a free market is an economic market (economics), system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of ...
, writing against monopoly in all its forms including the exclusive rights of overseas trading companies like the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
, decrying restrictive guild rules of apprenticeship, the
Navigation Acts The Navigation Acts, or more broadly the Acts of Trade and Navigation, were a series of English laws that developed, promoted, and regulated English ships, shipping, trade, and commerce with other countries and with its own colonies. The laws al ...
and other impediments to the rule of the unfettered marketplace.


Family

Tucker's first wife was the widow of Francis Woodward of Grimsbury, Gloucestershire, and he educated his stepson, Richard Woodward, who subsequently became dean of Clogher and bishop of Cloyne. In 1781 Tucker married his housekeeper, Mrs. Crowe.


References


''Josiah Tucker Index''


Notes

;Attribution


Further reading

* * Clark W. E., ''Josiah Tucker, economist: a study in the history of economics'', New York, 1903. * Johnson E. A., ''Predecessors of Adam Smith'', New York, 1937. * Koehn Nancy F., ''The Power of Commerce: Economy and Governance in the First British Empire'', Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 1994. (Especially the chapter entitled "Managing the Great Machine of Trade.") * Robert Livingston Schuyler, ''Josiah Tucker: A Selection from his Economic and Political Writings'' (New York:Columbia University Press) 1931; it reprints seven of Tucker's scarce pamphlets, and a biography is in the Introduction. * Shelton G., ''Dean Tucker and 18th-century economics and political thought'', New York, 1981.


External links

* * *
''A Treatise Concerning Civil Government''
(1781) {{DEFAULTSORT:Tucker Josiah 1713 births 1799 deaths Deans of Gloucester People from Laugharne Welsh business theorists Welsh economists 18th-century British economists