Jacques Necker

Born

30 September 1732

Died

9 April 1804

Necker, a Genevan Protestant banker, directed royal finances from 1777 to 1781 and again from 1788. His Compte rendu au roi published the monarchy’s ordinary revenues and expenditure and reported a surplus, while treating the costs of the American war separately. It strengthened credit but later became controversial because it did not represent the monarchy’s full fiscal position. In 1788 he supported doubling the Third Estate’s representation, without settling whether voting would be by head or by order. His dismissal on 11 July 1789 sharpened the crisis. Recalled after the Bastille, he resigned in September 1790 as his influence declined.

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30 Sep 1732Birth of Jacques Necker See them in the timeline →