ABSTRACT
The argument of this chapter is that Tracy’s conception of a science of society is deeply indebted to the physiocratic conception of the “social art”, by which legislation and education would lead men to a prosperous society which conformed to the “laws of nature”. In order to demonstrate this orientation in Tracy’s writings, it is necessary to examine the original usages of the term “social art” in the work of the Marquis de Mirabeau and the abbé de Baudeau, and to show how the concept of a “social science” and a “science of social organization” evolved from these early discussions. The earliest usages of the term “social science” are examined, before turning in the second section to Tracy’s own conception of social science as the scientific basis for social policies aiming to increase the happiness of the citizens.
