Mercantilism

People often use this word to describe someone, but the Login Casino Work job search website explored what is implied by this concept and what were the pros and cons of such a trait.

What is mercantilism and who came up with it?

The word itself comes from the Italian "mercantile," meaning "commercial" or "self-interested." When applied to a person's entrepreneurial qualities, it doesn't necessarily carry a negative tone. Instead, it characterizes an individual as practical and economical, someone who values money and their own capital. Moderation is good in everything, so when mercantilism is reflected in personal and expressed in friendly, family, or romantic relationships, it can have negative effects on them. Let's take a look at what mercantilism entails and how to recognize self-interested individuals.

• The top principle in a person's set of values is "you scratch my back, I scratch yours." The possibility of taking action without personal gain is completely rejected. If there's no benefit from an action or inaction, they won't be involved.
• They adopt a business approach in all areas of life and befriend only those who can positively influence their financial situation. Most likely, every reader knows someone who suggests befriending a certain person because they are "useful." For instance, when a student's future job search is imminent, and a counterpart is the person making hiring decisions at a major company. Such an approach can be called mercantilist.
• They show excessive interest in others' financial state. How to tell if someone is mercantile becomes apparent in conversations, where almost any topic revolves around financial judgments. For example, discussing salaries, the cost of items, the amount spent on vacations, etc.
• The life motto of a self-interested person is "money for the sake of money." Normally, people earn money to support their families and exchange monetary symbols for material or immaterial goods. Mercantile individuals prioritize accumulation. The more money, the better.

When people hear that someone is mercantile, they often develop negative emotions toward that person. However, every quality has two sides.

Negative aspects of mercantilism

When dealing with mercantile individuals, it's important to remember that this quality doesn't hinder them personally, but rather affects those around them negatively. For instance:

• You cannot rely on the help of such a friend or expect business cooperation if it's not advantageous to them.
• The person might feel like they're being used (and often that's the case).
• Friendship goes out the window if you lack money and influence.
• They often complain about a lack of funds.

All of the above applies to cases where an intense desire to extract benefit from nearly everything overshadows healthy pragmatism. In such instances, a mercantile person can deeply hurt those who might have friendly or romantic feelings toward them.

Positive aspects of mercantilism

On the other hand, even this seemingly negative trait has its advantages. Looking at what a mercantile person can be from a different perspective reveals several positive points:

• They aren't prone to procrastination. They are constantly engaged and never waste time. They are masters of time management, something others can learn from. Quite often, they become excellent coaches.
• Despite often complaining about a lack of money, they know how to earn it. An entrepreneurial spirit is ingrained in their character.
• People with this trait know how to firmly say "no" to others. They never engage in risky ventures where the chance of losing outweighs gaining.
• They make good businesspeople and are unlikely to confuse devaluation with denomination, always keeping an eye on the global economic situation.

If you struggle to plan your time and regularly lose opportunities and money as a result, having a mercantile person around might provide a chance to learn something from them to enhance your effectiveness. In short, everything is good in moderation and with reasonable boundaries.

Why women are considered more mercantile than men

In our society, there's a stereotype about women being more mercantile. This reputation has deep roots dating back to ancient times when, in order to have healthy and strong offspring, a woman had to choose a strong, healthy partner from the opposite sex. This was necessary so that the partner could take care of her and the children. A genetically ingrained ancestral predisposition might still have some influence today, even though in our time, women can easily take care of themselves and their children independently. Nevertheless, it's not possible to definitively say whether women or men are more mercantile. Nowadays, both genders are often interested in their potential partner's financial situation, whether they have their own home, a car, and stable employment.

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