Christian Peter Wilhelm Beuth

Christian Peter Wilhelm Friedrich Beuth (28 December 1781 – 27 September 1853) was a Prussian statesman, involved in the Prussian reforms and the main mover in Prussia's industrial renewal.

Life and career
Beuth was born in Cleves; his father was an artist. He entered the University of Halle in 1798 to study law and cameralism. In 1799 he became a member of the Corps Guestphalia Halle.

He entered the Prussian civil service in 1801, becoming Assessor in Bayreuth in 1806, followed in 1809 by a position in Potsdam and in 1810 at the head of the taxation section of the finance ministry in Berlin. In 1813/14 he was a member of the Lützow Free Corps and fought in the liberation campaign against Napoleon; he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class.

Beuth was a member of the Deutsche Tischgesellschaft, founded in Berlin in 1811 by Achim von Arnim and Adam Heinrich Müller. This was an antisemitic organisation, and he expressed disapproval of equality under the law for Jews.

In his position in the finance ministry, Beuth was a member of the commission for the reform of taxation and manufacturing in the office of the Chancellor Karl August von Hardenberg; after the end of the Napoleonic Wars he participated in drafting the new tax laws of 1817. In 1821 he was promoted to Staatsrat, and in 1830 he became director of the Department of Manufacturing, Trade and Construction, a position he held until 1845. He left the ministry in autumn 1845 with the rank of Wirklicher Geheimer Rat (full privy councillor), but remained a member of the council of state.

He died in Berlin in 1853 and is buried in the Dorotheenstadt cemetery near his friend Karl Friedrich Schinkel. His grave is recognised as an honorary grave of the City of Berlin and was designed by Reinhold Begas.

<!-- ==Work==

Background
Prussia, like other absolutist states, developed a protectionist economy during the 18th century: the state promoted exports and protected producers from foreign competition by means of tariffs. The system was successful in the short term but limited progress in the long term. Beginning in the late 18th century, free trade economics based on the theories of Adam Smith led to its dissolution: under this view, free competition both within and across national boundaries would lead to the greatest possible degree of progress and at the same time to social harmony and fairness. The free trade theory was embraced in universities and among Beuth's generation of young Prussian civil servants.

However, it was recognised that initially, even greater effort on the part of the state would be required to create the prerequisites for participation in a free-trade system. What are often termed the Stein-Hardenberg Reforms created the necessary legal framework, in particular through emancipation of the peasantry and abolition of serfdom (1807), removal of the guild monopoly (1810) and dismantling the traditional system of protective tariffs and import bans (1818). However, the expected economic gains did not occur. Other countries in Western Europe, above all England, were too far advanced in industrialisation for the Prussian craftsmen and cottage industries to compete, especially after being accustomed to state protection. Beuth's central contribution was to respond to the resulting call for the education of future entrepreneurs.

Vorbilder für Fabrikanten und Handwerker
As the director of the Technical Deputation for Trade and Manufacturing, Beuth had the first edition of Vorbilder für Fabrikanten und Handwerker (exemplars for producers and craftsmen) issued in 1821. This was a comprehensive pattern book illustrated with large copper engravings, edited by him and Schinkel. It was intended to assist in forming the taste of craftsmen in trade schools on the classical principle of the unity of utility and beauty; the sample items drew on objects from antiquity and were recommended for use as exemplars in the manufacture of new household objects. The book was influential and a new edition appeared as late as the 1860s.

Manufacturing Association
Beuth used his government position to promote manufacturing by founding the Verein zur Beförderung des Gewerbfleißes in Preußen, a manufacturing association based on those already existing in England, France and Bavaria. The association had its first meeting in Berlin on 15 January 1821. Beuth became the chairman and in his inaugural address proclaimed his view that, having put them at the mercy of competition, Prussia owed it to her manufacturers to acquaint them with the means of overcoming it. The association was to achieve its objective by awareness of the state of manufacturing here and abroad, testing of discoveries and inventions, instruction, encouragement through rewarding of important inventions, [and] competition through the establishment of premiums". In its first year the association had 194 members in Berlin and 173 external members; members included the minister for trade and manufacturing, Heinrich von Bülow; Alexander von Humboldt; Schinkel; and the inspector of the Royal Berlin Ironworks, Johann Friedrich Krigar.

Beginning in 1822 the association issued a journal, Verhandlungen des Vereins zur Beförderung des Gewerbfleißes in Preußen. Darin wurde über Vereinsinterna berichtet, vor allem aber ging es um Fachfragen, es wurden technische Preisaufgaben gestellt und in den folgenden Ausgaben deren Lösungen publiziert. In der ersten Ausgabe erörterte man zum Beispiel die Probleme beim Bau von Hängebrücken, insbesondere den neuartigen Einsatz von Schmiedeeisen für Ketten und Drahtstränge. Diese Artikel hatten Auswirkungen etwa auf den späteren Entwurf der Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Die Verhandlungen … entwickelten sich bald zum viel beachteten Fachjournal. 1822 führte der Verein auf Initiative Beuths im Gebäude der Gewerbedeputation in der Klosterstraße eine erste Gewerbeausstellung durch; Beteiligung und Ergebnisse waren jedoch enttäuschend. Liberales Wirtschaftsdenken war noch nicht entwickelt, nur wenige Produzenten waren bereit, ihre Formen und technischen Muster öffentlich vorzustellen. Es zeigte sich, dass preußische Industrieprodukte damals noch kaum konkurrenzfähig waren. -->