Antonio Serra
Encyclopedia
Antonio Serra was a late 16th century Italian
philosopher and economist in the Mercantilist tradition.
Little is known about his life. He was born in Cosenza
in the late 16th century. When working in Naples
, he applied himself to solving the enormous social and economic problems created by the Spanish viceroy system. In 1613 Serra was jailed due to his involvement in a conjure with the philosopher Tommaso Campanella
attempting to free Calabria
from the Spanish domination.
In his treaty Breve trattato delle cause che possono far abbondare li regni d’oro e d’argento dove non sono miniere, Serra analysed the causes of the shortage of coin in the Kingdom of Naples
and the factors that could have reversed this economic trend. He was the first to analyse and fully understand the concept of balance of trade for both visible goods and invisible services and capital movements. He explained how the shortage of coin in the Kingdom of Naples was due to balance of payments deficit. Using his findings he was able to reject the popular idea at the time that the scarcity in money was due to the exchange rate. The solution to the problem was found in the active encouragement of exports.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
philosopher and economist in the Mercantilist tradition.
Little is known about his life. He was born in Cosenza
Cosenza
Cosenza is a city in southern Italy, located at the confluence of two historic rivers: the Busento and the Crathis. The municipal population is of around 70,000; the urban area, however, counts over 260,000 inhabitants...
in the late 16th century. When working in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, he applied himself to solving the enormous social and economic problems created by the Spanish viceroy system. In 1613 Serra was jailed due to his involvement in a conjure with the philosopher Tommaso Campanella
Tommaso Campanella
Tommaso Campanella OP , baptized Giovanni Domenico Campanella, was an Italian philosopher, theologian, astrologer, and poet.-Biography:...
attempting to free Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
from the Spanish domination.
In his treaty Breve trattato delle cause che possono far abbondare li regni d’oro e d’argento dove non sono miniere, Serra analysed the causes of the shortage of coin in the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
and the factors that could have reversed this economic trend. He was the first to analyse and fully understand the concept of balance of trade for both visible goods and invisible services and capital movements. He explained how the shortage of coin in the Kingdom of Naples was due to balance of payments deficit. Using his findings he was able to reject the popular idea at the time that the scarcity in money was due to the exchange rate. The solution to the problem was found in the active encouragement of exports.
English Editions
- Serra, Antonio (1613) A Short Treatise on the Wealth and Poverty of Nations edited by Sophus A. Reinert (2011), Anthem Press ISBN 9780857289735