the Mercantile System

The Mercantile System was an economic policy used by European colonial powers from the 16th to the 18th centuries. It aimed to increase a country's wealth by encouraging exports and limiting imports, often through tariffs and trade restrictions. Colonies were expected to supply raw materials to the mother country and buy finished goods in return, ensuring wealth stayed within the empire. This system supported the idea that a nation’s power depended on its accumulated wealth, especially gold and silver, by controlling trade routes and exploiting colonized regions for economic gain.