[1] Joseph Garnier and his friends Adolphe-Gustave Blaise (1811–86) and Gilbert Guillaumin (1801–64) decided to form a society that would meet once a month to dine and discuss political economy.

The first meeting of the Société d'économie politique with five people was held on 15 November 1842 including Blaise, Garnier, Guillaumin and Eugène Daire (1798–1847).

They could meet on neutral scientific grounds to exchange views on subjects such as the functions of the state, land rents, commercial freedom, public finances, the Crédit Foncier, regulations and socialism.

[1] In 1846 Garnier cofounded the short-lived Association pour la liberté des échanges, with others such as Frédéric Bastiat and Wolowski.

He founded and directed the Nouveau Journal des Connaissances utiles (1853–1860) and contributed to the Dictionnaire de l'Economie Politique of Charles Coquelin and Gilbert-Urbain Guillaumin.

[2] Besides his economic articles in the Presse, National, Siècle and Journal des Débats, Garnier published a great number of works.