What is a good definition of mercantilism? I don't understand when all the definitions talk about economic systems of national wealth.

Thank you!

2 answers

The economic theory that the prosperity of a nation depends upon its supply of capital, and that the volume of the world economy and international trade is unchangeable.
Too bad Ren didn't give the source of the definition he/she plagiarized.

Here are several definitions:

http://www.answers.com/topic/mercantilism
Scroll down and read several. At least one of them should make better sense to you than others.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mercantilism = commercialism
and
http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=commercialism