About
Scottish engineer and political economist who is known as the founder of graphical methods of statistics and serving as a secret agent on behalf of Great Britain during its war with France.
Before Fame
He had an apprenticeship with Andrew Meikle, the inventor of the threshing machine. He also worked as accountant, inventor, silversmith, merchant, and journalist.
Trivia
In 1786, he created the line, area and bar chart of economic data. In 1801, he invented the pie chart and circle graph, used to show part-whole relations. His efforts to help create a secret counterfeit currency in the late 1700s helped collapse the French currency.
Family Life
He has two brothers, John and James Playfair. He was the uncle of William Henry Playfair.
Associated With
He was draftsman and personal assistant to James Watt at the Boulton and Watt steam engine manufacturer.
