Fred Aftalion

Alfred Henri Aftalion (2 May 1922 – 24 May 2022), better known as Fred Aftalion, was a French chemical engineer who held leadership positions in the French chemical industry for three decades. He wrote and commented on economics and politics from a viewpoint of economic liberalism via ALEPS

He wrote a number of books dealing with chemistry, industry and society. In 2014, he received the Franklin-Lavoisier Prize for his writings on the history of the international chemical industry. Aftalion graduated from the École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris, where he studied chemical engineering.

Career Aftalion became an engineer with Hercules Inc., working in the United States and Latin America. He returned to France in 1951 and joined the petrochemical company Naphtachimie. After Rhône-Poulenc acquired an interest in Roger Bellon in 1964, Aftalion became a board member of Rhône-Poulenc Spécialités Chimiques. He served on the Boards of Directors of Total Chimie and of the Fondation de la Maison de la Chimie in Paris, France.

Aftalion became a member of the Mont Pelerin Society in 1971. He was vice-president of ALEPS, the Association pour la Liberté Economique et le Progrès Social (Association of Liberal Economists) from a viewpoint of Economic liberalism via ALEPS His funeral took place in Paris on 1 June 2022. He was survived by two daughters and grandchildren.

Works 2012, Pourquoi ne pas le dire? by Fred Aftalion. Paris : Ed. du Trident, c2012. 2007, Histoire de la révolution bourgeoise : de ses origines à nos jours by Fred Aftalion. Paris : Ed. du Trident, 2007. 1995, Protection de l'environnement : pour que de fausses solutions ne deviennent pas de vrais problèmes by Fred Aftalion. Paris : Ed. France-Empire, 1995. 1993, Social-démocratie, dernier avatar du socialisme : histoire d'une utopie, 1945-1993 by Fred Aftalion. Paris : France-Empire, c1993. 1991, History of the international chemical industry by Fred Aftalion; translated by Otto Theodor Benfey. Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, c1991; Philadelphia, PA : Chemical Heritage Press, 2001. 1990, Faillite de l'économie administrée : le paradoxe français by Fred Aftalion. Paris : Presses universitaires de France, c1990. 1988, Histoire de la chimie by Fred Aftalion. Paris; Milan : Masson, 1988. 1967, Libres, égaux, fraternels? by Fred Aftalion. [Paris] Plon, 1967.

Awards 3 April 2014, Franklin-Lavoisier Prize, Chemical Heritage Foundation and the Fondation de la Maison de la Chimie