Émeric Crucé[1] (1590–1648) was a French political writer, known for theNouveau Cynée (1623), a pioneer work oninternational relations.[2][3] He advocated for aninternational pacific body of representatives of many countries.
Little specifics are known about him. He taught in a college in Paris, is said to have been a monk, and is supposed to have been from a humble background.[4]
TheNouveau Cynée ou Discours d'Estat représentant les occasions et moyens d'establir une paix générale et la liberté de commerce pour tout le monde takes its name fromCyneas, a diplomat-statesman of the ancient world who was active around 300 BC and known for his emphasis onpeace. Crucé, in accordance with Cyneas, made peace central to his philosophical and political thought.
Crucé took the position thatwars were the result of international misunderstandings and the domination of society by the warrior class, both of which could be reduced through commerce which brought people together.[5]
He is pacifist in tone, and envisages an international body to maintain peace. It should be a permanent gathering of princes, or their representatives, in session atVenice, whose task would be to resolve national or international disputes. Radically, he suggests that theIslamic powers would participate[6] in this permanentpeace congress; Crucé's thinking runs along the lines of a common humanity.[7] Membership of this body would be completely voluntary.
His system relies on a measure offree trade,[8] and proposes asingle currency and standardizedweights and measures. There is an emphasis on social and economic objectives, as well aspublic spending.
Crucé's ideas are in sharp contrast to those ofJean Bodin, whose ideas are based onnational sovereignty and the acceptance of war.
