Quesnay, François (1694–1774)

French economic philosopher. He was the head of the Physiocratic School – the first systematic school of political economy. He held that land was the main source of wealth, and advocated noninterference by government in economic matters.

Quesnay was consulting physician to Louis XV at Versailles, where he became interested in economics. His political economy is summed up in his Tableau économique/Economic Scene 1758.