Johann Rudolf Tschiffeli

Johann Rudolf Tschiffeli (16 December 1716 - 15 January 1780) was a Swiss agronomist who founded the Economic Society of Berne in 1758.

His father, also named Johann Rudolpf Tschiffeli (1688 - 1747), was at first the General Secretary of Canton of St. Gallen and from 1734 on the Landvogt of Bern, when the family moved to Wangen an der Aare.

After the death of his parents, Tschiffeli took over the care of his four younger siblings, and of his own household.

In 1755 he became clerk at the superior marriage court, which position meant a steady income.

In 1758, Tschiffeli formed the Economic Society ("Ökonomischen Gesellschaft"), which was influential beyond the Swiss borders.

Portrait of Tschiffeli, engraving by Abraham-Louis Girardet from 1808 after a painting by Tiberius Wocher