Mercantilism was known as “the greatest whip in economic history” (CW, 2013). Mercantilism was a theory of trade adopted by the great European powers between the 1500s and 1800s (Mercantilism, n.d.). It was also an economic nationality with the aim of building a rich and powerful nation. The “merchant system” is used to describe the political economy that sought to enrich the country by limiting imports and focusing on exports (LaHaye, n.d.). The idea of ​​mercantilism was that nations export more than they import and accumulate gold or silver, but mainly gold, to make up the difference (Mercantilism, n.d.). At the heart of mercantilism was the maximization of net exports which would lead them to the best path to national wealth (CW, 2013). This is how “bullionism” was born, the idea that the only way a person could measure the wealth and success of a country was by the amount of gold they owned (CW, 2013 ). The best way to achieve “bullionism” was to do fewer imports and lots of exports. In doing so, they achieve a net inflow of foreign exchange and maximize the country's gold stock (CW, 2013). Mercantilism begins as a reaction against the economic problems of ancient times. At that time, states were too weak to govern or guide their economies. This led to each city having its own tariffs on goods crossing its borders (Mercantilism, n.d.). Concepts of mercantilism developed from the rise of powerful nation-states, such as Holland, France, Spain, and England. These nations were marked by constant war. Nation states needed money to support their growing armies and navies. The larger their armies and navies, the more powerful they were (Mercantilism, n.d.). The important economic justification for mercantilism was the consolidation of regional power centers of the feudal era through the establishment of colonies outside Europe.