Mercantilismo - Brasil Escola

Summary

In this history lesson, Professor Pedro Ivo explains the concept of mercantilism, an economic policy practiced by absolutist states. The lecture highlights key aspects such as metalism (accumulating precious metals), protectionism (raising tariffs to protect national production), favorable trade balance (exporting more than importing), granting monopolies, and colonial exploitation. The professor also discusses the different forms of mercantilism in Spain (bullionism), France (colbertism), England (commercialism), and Portugal (plantation-based), with a focus on England's success through industrial investments. The video provides a comprehensive overview of mercantilist policies and their impact on European economies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mercantilism is the economic policy of an absolutist state, where the government has significant intervention in the economy.
• 😀 The primary goal of mercantilism was the enrichment and strengthening of the state through economic control.
• 😀 The first key element of mercantilism is 'metalism,' which is the accumulation of precious metals, seen as a measure of a state's wealth.
• 😀 Spain, during the 16th century, became one of the wealthiest European states due to the influx of precious metals from its American colonies.
• 😀 The second pillar of mercantilism is 'protectionism,' where states raised customs duties to limit imports and protect domestic production.
• 😀 A favorable balance of trade is essential in mercantilism, where exports exceed imports, leading to economic surplus.
• 😀 Monopolies were granted by the state to certain individuals or companies, providing exclusive trade rights in exchange for payment to the state.
• 😀 An example of state-monopolized exploitation was the extraction of Brazilwood in colonial Brazil, where the Portuguese crown granted exploitation rights to private parties.
• 😀 The fifth base of mercantilism is colonial exploitation, where colonies exist to enrich the mother country through controlled trade (pacto colonial).
• 😀 Different European countries had unique versions of mercantilism: Spanish 'bullionism,' French 'colbertism,' English 'commercialism,' and Portuguese 'plantation mercantilism.'
• 😀 The most successful form of mercantilism in the long run was the English approach, which focused on industrial growth and efficient resource distribution during the Industrial Revolution.

Q & A

What is Mercantilism?

Mercantilism is the economic policy of an absolutist state, characterized by government intervention in the economy to strengthen the state’s wealth and power. It focuses on the accumulation of precious metals, protectionism, and colonial exploitation.

How did Mercantilism relate to Absolutism?

Mercantilism was closely tied to Absolutism as both systems relied on strong, centralized state control. Absolutist states used Mercantilism to enrich themselves, often through heavy government intervention in economic affairs.

What is Metalism in the context of Mercantilism?

Metalism is the Mercantilist belief that a state's wealth is measured by the amount of precious metals, such as gold and silver, it accumulates. The more metals a state collects, the richer it is considered to be.

Which European state benefited the most from Metalism in the 16th century?

Spain benefited the most from Metalism during the 16th century due to the large influx of precious metals from the Americas, particularly gold and silver.

What is Protectionism and how did it work under Mercantilism?

Protectionism in Mercantilism refers to policies designed to protect domestic industries by imposing tariffs on foreign goods. The aim was to reduce imports, encourage exports, and achieve a favorable trade balance.

What is meant by a 'favorable balance of trade' in Mercantilism?

A favorable balance of trade means that a country exports more than it imports, leading to a surplus in its economy. This was a key goal of Mercantilism, as it was believed to increase national wealth.

What role did monopolies play in Mercantilist policies?

Monopolies allowed the state to control certain markets or industries exclusively, which could be granted to private individuals or companies in exchange for payment to the state. This was a method for the state to increase its wealth.

Can you give an example of a Mercantilist monopoly in Portuguese colonial history?

An example of a Mercantilist monopoly in Portuguese colonial history is the state-controlled extraction of Pau-Brasil (Brazilwood), which was granted to private merchants in exchange for payments to the Crown.

What was the purpose of colonial exploitation in Mercantilism?

Colonial exploitation in Mercantilism was focused on enriching the mother country (the metropole) by extracting resources from colonies. Colonies were not allowed to trade freely and were compelled to trade exclusively with their mother country.

What distinguishes the different forms of Mercantilism in various European countries?

Different European countries had distinct forms of Mercantilism. For example, Spanish Mercantilism (Bulliomism) focused on the accumulation of precious metals, French Mercantilism (Colbertism) emphasized luxury goods production, English Mercantilism (Commercialism) promoted maritime trade and naval development, and Portuguese Mercantilism was based on agricultural and extractive industries in their colonies.