CALONNE, kalint', CHARLES ALE XA NORE DE ( 1734-18(42). French Minister of Finance under Louis XVI. He was born January 20, 1734, in Douai. As advocate-general. procurator-general and intendant. he had displayed many brilliant but misubstantial qualities, when, in 1783, at the instance of his patron, Comte trArtois, and Marie Antoinette. he was summoned by the King to be come Comptroller-General of the Finances. The treasury then was in hopeless disorder, and the whole financial system of the kingdom was inade quate to meet the demands of the extravagant Court and administration. Calonne's policy, whereby he hoped to give satisfaction where the others had not, is best exhibited in his own words: "A man who wishes to borrow money must appear to be rich, and in order to appear rich it is neces sary to make a display of expenditure. Economy is doubly fatal; it warns the capitalists not to lend to a treasury involved in debt; it causes the arts to languish, while prodigality enriches them." Thus lie won the enthusiastic admira tion of the Court. by actually encouraging that
extravagance which he regarded as necessary to bolster up credit. When the Queen came to him for an unusually large sum of money, he is said to have replied: "What you wish, madame, shalt he done, if it is possible: and if it is not pos• sible—it shall still he done!" But Calonne soon found that public credit requires some more sub stantial foundation than mere display. Both credit and taxation had reached their absolute limits. A crisis had arrived. with which neither Minister nor King could deal. An Assembly of Notables was therefore called and Calonne opened its session in February, 1787, with a glowing account of the national prosperity, but urged the necessity of certain reforms in taxation. The Notables required an account, which revealed his mismanagement, and he was dismissed anti ex iled. He died in 1802. Consult the authorities referred to FRANct: for this period.