Leon Faucher, a French political economist, born in Limoges, Sept. 8, 1803, died in Marseilles, Dec. 14,1854.When a boy he supported himself and his mother by making designs for embroidery, and afterward became a teacher in Paris. After the revolution of 1830 he was successively editor of the Temps, the Constitutionncl, and the Courrier Francais. He was chosen to the chamber of deputies for Rheims in 1840, and, joining the opposition party, was prominent in the debates on questions touching political economy. He was elected by the department of Marne to the constituent assembly of 1848. In December of that year, and again in April, 1851, ho was appointed by Louis Napoleon minister of the interior, serving each time but a few months. He was instrumental in preparing the law of May 31, 1850, restricting the limits of suffrage; but he declined to accept office under Louis Napoleon after the coup d'etat. He now devoted himself chiefly to the interests of the credit fancier, having previously become known by his advocacy of a gradual reduction of duties, and of a commercial league between France, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland, as a counterpoise to the German Zollverein. Among his remarkable earlier efforts were an essay in the Revue des Deux Mondes on the relations of property in France, and a pamphlet in 1838 on prison reform.

His principal work, Etudes sur VAngleterre, a description of the social, industrial, and political institutions of England, appeared in 1845.