Nicholas Barbon

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Nicholas Barbon (c. 1640 – c. 1698) was an English physician, real estate developer, and financier. He is regarded as one of the first economists and introduced several key innovations in the field of financial markets and insurance. Initially trained as a physician, in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, he became a property developer. In this role, he introduced significant innovations. He is credited as introducing several important types of financial instrument including fire insurance and mortgages, founding England's first insurance agency and the first bank to issue mortgages. Barbon was also one of the first economists, writing books about commerce, international trade, finance and state policy, presenting ideas that were heterodox in his day but are now foundational to modern economics. Economic historians consider him one of the first writers to attack mercantilism and promote free trade, as well as one of the first to systematically examine the money supply and economic...

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