Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Controller-General were the most extensive of all the administrative positions of the Ancien Régime. According to the official description of 1665, the Controller-General had the power "to report in our Counsel of all affairs which are of concern to our service and of any others" ("faire rapport en notre Conseil de toutes les affaires qui concerneront notre service et de toutes autres indifféremment.")
The Controller-General oversaw finances, agriculture, industry, commerce, bridges and roads ("ponts et chaussées") and a part of lesser administration.
Colbert, first of the Controllers-General, was also head of a number of other administrative positions: Secretary of State of the Navy (1669-1683), Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi and Superintendent of the Bâtiments du Roi (1664-1683).
The position was very well paid: in addition to 200 000 livre tournois by year, the Controller-General could also gain 20 000 livres as Minister of State, and could also receive bribes during renewal of contracts to the Ferme Générale.
The Controller-General participated in a number of the King's Councils. He was always member of the king's Privy or Council of State (although he rarely attended), the "Conseil des dépêches", the Royal Finance Counsel ("Conseil royal des finances") and the Royal Commerce Counsel ("Conseil royal de commerce"). He was almost always a Minister of State (one of two), which allowed him to attend the "High Counsel" ("Conseil d'en haut"). Other than the administration of state finances—oversight of the "Contrôle Général" and of the Treasory, collection of taxes like the taille, printing money—he directed the state economy and a large portion of the provincial administration. It was largely on his recommendations that most intendants in the provinces were named.
The Controller-General was generally chosen from among the intendants of finances or from the maîtres des requêtes. Of all ministerial positions, the Controller-General was the least stable, especially during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI, to such a point that the Controller-General's official residence was called the "Hotel of Moving-out" ("hôtel des déménagements").
Read more about this topic: Controller-General Of Finances