Mercantilism Between 1600 and 1800 most of the states of western Europe were heavily influenced by a policy usually known as mercantilism. This was essentially an effort to achieve economic unity and political control. No general definition of mercantilism is entirely satisfactory, but it may be thought of as a collection of policies designed to keep the state prosperous by economic regulation.

Mercantilism. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001 ...