Book Description

Eli Heckscher's Mercantilism is a classic work in the history of economic thought, economic history and international economics. A pioneer in both economic history and trade theory, Heckscher brought a unique breadth to this study. Covering all of the major European countries, the book explores the content and significance of mercantilist ideas over nearly two centuries. Acknowledging the difficulties involved in defining mercantilism, Heckscher nonetheless succeeded in identifying a set of its key characteristics. Now available for the first time in many years, Mercantilism remains singularly relevant to a world preoccupied with maintaining its trading order. Hecksher's full text, notes and supporting material are supplemented by a new introduction by Lars Magnusson which discusses the origin, content and impact of the book.