The violent price surges experienced in sixteenth century Europe were attributed by Jean Bodin in his Les six livres de la Rgpublique (written in 1576) to: (1) the increase in the supply of gold and silver from the Spanish conquests in America; (2) the prevalence of monopolies; (3) depredations that reduced the stream of available commodities; (4) the expenditure of kings and princes on the objects of their desires; and (5) debasements (devaluations and fraudulent clipping of coins) of the currency.