An Essay Upon Projects

About the book

"An Essay Upon Projects" by Daniel Defoe is an essay collection published in 1697. As Defoe's first published volume, it presents his vision of England as a "Projecting Age" and proposes ambitious plans for the nation's economic and social improvement. The work includes chapters on banks, highways, insurance, and academies, featuring an early proposal for a national insurance scheme. Defoe examines various aspects of English society, from bankrupts to seamen, offering moral criticism alongside practical reforms for transforming his country.