Merryn Talks Money John Law: The Gambler Who Invented Modern Money (Part 1)
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Dec 22, 2025 Discover the fascinating life of John Law, a Scots gambler turned financier who reshaped modern money in France. From his reckless youth and tumultuous legal battles to his daring escape from prison, Law's journey is filled with scandal and ambition. Delve into his revolutionary ideas on banking, paper money, and credit systems that challenge our understanding of finance. Learn how his visionary reforms emerged during troubled times, setting the stage for modern economic concepts we still grapple with today.
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Raised In A Goldsmith-Banking Household
- John Law grew up in a goldsmith family where banking and lending were already practised alongside making jewelry.
- His mother's running of the banking side taught him early lessons about money's dual role as object and financial tool.
Murder Conviction And Escape
- At 23, Law stabbed Edward Bo Wilson in Bloomsbury Square and was convicted of murder, later reprieved and held in prison while appeals dragged on.
- He escaped or was secretly bailed out, a pivotal event that turned him into a lifelong fugitive and exile.
Partnership With Catherine And Pragmatism
- In prison Law met Catherine Knowles and her family, forming a lifelong partnership without marriage and later converting religions for political expediency.
- His personal ties and pragmatic religion shifts illustrate his opportunistic, non-ideological approach.