Question

European countries believed that power depended on wealth. They thought that there was only so much wealth in the world and a country could only become rich at the expense of another country. This idea can best be described as
A.
mercantilism.
B.
communism.
C.
feudalism.
D.
colonialism.

Answer 1

A. mercantilism.

Mercantilism held that national power came from accumulating wealth (especially gold and silver) and that global wealth was finite, so one nation's gain was another's loss—driving colonial expansion and protectionist policies.