USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The mercantile theory held that colonies exist for the economic benefit of the mother country and are useless unless they help to achieve profit. The mother nation should draw raw materials from its possessions and sell them finished goods, with the balance favouring the European country.

Detailed explanation-2: -Mercantilism is an economic policy designed to increase a nation’s wealth through exports, which thrived in Great Britain between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Detailed explanation-3: -Answer and Explanation: The mother nations of colonies benefited most from mercantilism. This is because the colonial home nations (such as Spain or Britain) used mercantilism to acquire as many resources and assets as possible from their colonies.

Detailed explanation-4: -While the mercantilist policies were designed to benefit the government and the commercial class, the doctrines of laissez-faire, or free markets, which originated with Smith, interpreted economic welfare in a far wider sense of encompassing the entire population.