MERCANTILISM Mercantilism was another theory of economics. It was prevailing in the Europe during the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. This theory mainly encouraged government guidelines of the country 's economy. The main purpose was to enlarging the power of the state at the cost of the opposing national powers. It was the economic equivalent of political tyranny or absolute realms. The term Mercantilism mainly includes a national economic policy for amassing monetary capitals through a positive trade balance mainly of finished goods. Historically, such policies always resulted in wars and also encouraged colonial enlargement. Usually this Mercantilist theory differs from one writer to another. But this has grown over time. Increased rates primarily on manufactured goods, are an almost universal feature of mercantilist policy. Other policies have included the following: - • Unfriendly colonies to trade with other nations; • Dominating markets with essential ports; • Banning the export of gold and silver, even for outflows; • Not allowing trade to be carried in foreign ships; • Supports on exports; • Promoting manufacturing through research or direct subsidies; • Preventive wages; • Exploiting the use of domestic resources; and • Limiting domestic consumption through non-tariff blockades to trade. Mercantilism in its simplest form is bullionism, yet mercantilist writers have stressed the circulation of money and reject hoarding. Their importance on monetary metals
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the British government was in control of the North American colonies. The prime reason for the British government to control the English colonies was so Britain could trade with the colonies. The English colonies had crops like sugar and tobacco that couldn’t be grown in England so the British relied on the colonies to ship these products to them. The colonies were able to use the British ships in trade for the colonies’ crops. With the policy of mercantilism developing in the 17th century, Britain said they could help the English colonies become a strong country by trading, even though the trading mostly helped the British.
Chapter 2 Research Questions Directions: Use pages 30-62 to answer the following. All answers should be typed. Plagiarism of any kind will result in a zero on this assignment. Process the information from your textbook and the internet.
With textiles from India restricted, it paved the way for Europeans to produce their own goods at competing prices with the Asians and stimulate their own economy. The Chinese, on the other hand, were receiving silver, an essential piece of their economy as it was their sole monetary form for taxes and other processes. In addition to unnecessary goods, the Spanish were experiencing increasing inflation. Tomas Mercado, a Spanish scholar, described the extent of this inflation caused by the lack of the circulation of the coins (Doc 1). The Chinese received so much silver for themselves that it could be used as ballast and the cobblestones previously used were left at the port.
After using resources and assets, the British tried to regain control over the colonies by using an idea called mercantilism. This established that a countries wealth is determined by its gold and silver. This set forth that a country must become wealthy by increasing exported goods. This
It was obvious that the government’s policies were favoring that of British mercantilism, jumpstarting the trade monopoly and making
England used this system to benefit economically from the colonies. Salutary Neglect played a huge role in keeping the colonist in check using mercantilism as a way to show that they were obedient to the king and if they went against the rule of the king then that would be treason. The navigation acts were placed to prevent foreign trade to rival countries like France, and the Netherlands. They implemented this act to ensure that all shipping goes through British ports and are carried by British ships. This act made sure that the colonies were still under control of the British.
Mercantilism was the operating economy system of the time. British main focus was to make sure their colonies exported more than they were required hearsay to import. Colonies provided raw materials for their mother country and existed merely to enrich the mother country. Throughout the 17th and 18th century the British government was starting to become weary with the fact of their North American colonies becoming more superior to the mother country. Since, that cannot be the British government had to impose regulations on colonial trade.
In the Massachusetts Bay Colony the English government benefitted from the mercantilist practices put upon the Puritans. Mercantilism is the practice in which the colonies have to supply England with raw materials and return received manufactured goods. The Bay Colony had a surplus of lumber, beaver pelts, and they were excellent ship builders. They supplied England with all these goods and many more. Also, navigation acts first implemented in 1651 restricted the colonies trade.
. Maryland Toleration Act: Created in 1649 to ease tensions between Protestants and Catholics; ultimately failed and did not end bickering between the two religions . triangular trade: the trade between eastern colonies, Africa, and Europe; included an exchange of slaves to the colonies, manufactured items such as guns and alcohol from EUrope to colonies and West Africa, and crops to Europe . Mercantilism: foundation of the mercantilist theory is that a nation must export more than it imports; high value for gold, silver, and other precious metals . Navigation Acts: essentially a series of tariffs imposed upon the colonies beginning in 1651 to create an English monopoly over trade; colonists could only trade with England and had to use English
Barter economy: Trade and bartering were prevalent, with limited use of currency or formal markets. Changes: 1. Emergence of mercantilist: The English government implemented mercantilist policies, seeking to control colonial trade and maximize profits for the mother country. 2.
In 1763 conflicts began to occur between the American colonists and British policy makers. The issues began as George Grenville, prime minister, believed that the colonists should have to obey more laws and pay a part of the expense for defending and administering the empire (Brinkley, 2012). This was an attempt to apply the principles of mercantilism to the colonies (Brinkley, 2012). From 1763 until the Revolutionary War began, the British kept making decisions of enforcement that caused more and more resentment from the American colonies. On his quest for more control over the colonists and to gain money from them, the Sugar Act and Currency act were passed in 1764.
This big mush in mercantilist ideas came along with the help of tariffs, or trading taxes on imported goods. Hence, we no longer had to rely on Britain for our much needed produced goods such as clothing, furniture, or tools. This caused Britain to lose money, the money they desperately needed to fund their war effort. So, along with impressing our sailors and enforcing a tax, they also took goods from any ships they boarded. This only helped to infuriate the country further as they saw no real reason why britain had to do this.
At the time of the 1760's in the 13 Colonies, the life in the colonies was greatly better than in Great Britain. People had more freedom and rights, especially in religion at the time, but the country was developing. The colonies were fairly new, and was working becoming stronger and bigger, and at the time, the population was near 2 million, compared to Great Britain's, 6 million. The Colonies' government later became unfair and strict to the colonial people because, it was controlled by Great Britain, which possessed almost total control to the Colonist people. Each of the 13 colonies had a charter.
Adam Smith’s main idea was that the government should not regulate trade but rather individuals could handle their own affairs in trade and business. Adam Smith's economic theories were particularly influential in Britain, Europe and America. The Wealth of Nations had a profound effect on how the government in America was organised.
In late 18th century, the “invisible hand doctrine” was introduced on order to reduce the role of government. This means, an economic principle, first postulated by Adam Smith, holding that the greatest benefit to a society is brought about by individuals acting freely in a competitive marketplace in the pursuit of their own self-interest. In 19th century, the voice against the government heightened so that role of government in the economy declined dramatically. The “laissez-faire policy/doctrine/policy was evolved against the government intervention.