A Treatise on Abundance (1638) and Early Modern Views on Poverty and Famine

Book excerpt: ‘A “Treatise on Abundance” (1638) and Early Modern Views of Poverty and Famine’ is an edited English translation of Carlo Tapia’s ‘Trattato dell’abondanza’. First published in Naples in 1638, the treatise offered the earliest systematic attempt to develop and publicize the most effective tools available to governments to fight famine and poverty. In particular, Tapia moved the discussion of these issues away from traditional religious approaches and aimed instead to offer a theoretical understanding of the issues—based in part on his study of both classical sources and contemporary legal theories—and practical advice that could help administrators in the provinces and in the capital.