Considerações politicas e commerciaes sobre os descobrimentos, e possessões dos Portuguezes na Africa, e na Asia.

Lisbon, Na Impressão Regia, 1830.. FIRST EDITION. 8°, contemporary mottled sheep (some minor worming to joints, 2 cm. tear at head of spine and front cover), flat spine with gilt bands and red morocco lettering piece, short title gilt, text block edges speckled red. Woodcut royal Portuguese arms on title page. Internally fine, overall condition very good. Early signature in blank portion of title page ("J. Leite R. Freire"?). 420 pp. *** FIRST EDITION. Focuses with historical perspective on the commerce and politics of the Cape Verde Islands, São Thomé and Príncipe, Angola, Moçambique and Goa. José Accursio das Neves (1766-1834), a noted economist, held various government posts; his writing was primarily concerned with the political implications of commerce. Elected a member of the Real Academia das Sciencias de Lisboa in 1810, he was a defender of absolutism, being one of the principle supporters of D. Miguel in the Côrtes of 1828. As an absolutist, he had been opposed to the liberal ideology behind the revolution of 1820, and the 1822 constitution. On May 14, 1821 he lost his government offices, only to be reinstated in June 1823. Nevertheless, Neves was elected deputy to the Côrtes of 1822. The years 1821-1828 saw the maturing of his political-economic development. Despite the ultra conservative approach to politics, Neves favored industrialization and free trade (while defending a moderate protectionism). As a result of his support for Miguelismo, Neves became an obscure figure after the liberals triumphed toward the end of his life. Today he is regarded as one of the most brilliant Portuguese thinkers and most lucid prose writers of his age - a precursor of modern economic theory in Portugal.*** Innocêncio IV, 182. Figaniere, Bibliographia historica portugueza 1013. Not in Kress. Not in Kress, Luso-Brazilian Economic Literature before 1850. On the author, see Laranjo, Economistas portugueses, pp. 89-94. Porbase locates a single copy, at Biblioteca João Paulo II-Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Jisc locates a copy each at British Library, Oxford University, Senate House Libraries-University of London, and Cambridge University.