Bullionism - juukinshugi (English spelling)

Mercantilism was dominant in European countries from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and the economic ideas and policies based on it in the early period of the mercantilism were called mercantilism. Mercantilism was based on the idea that national wealth was bullion and silver, and in order to secure wealth, they advocated policies to make individual trade differences positive through direct trade controls such as exchange controls, and to restrict or prohibit the export of specie and precious metals. This argument was particularly prevalent in Britain, and its representative in the early 17th century was G. Marin. Based on this idea, monarchs of various countries actively developed gold and silver mines to acquire bullion and silver, and also began managing colonies. However, this resulted in a decline in the value of domestic currency (rising prices), which actually hindered the development of domestic industry. For this reason, mercantilism was replaced by mercantilism, which was based on the principle of trade differences and focused on acquiring bullion and silver by achieving exports that exceeded imports.

[Nemoto Hisao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

16～18世紀にかけてヨーロッパ諸国に支配的であった重商主義のうち、とくに初期の経済思想とそれに基づく政策を重金主義という。重金主義者たちは、国富すなわち地金銀という考えにたち、富を確保するため為替(かわせ)統制など直接的な貿易統制によって個別的貿易差額を順（プラス）ならしめ、また正貨、貴金属の輸出を制限、禁止する政策を主張した。こうした主張はとくにイギリスにおいて行われ、その代表者は17世紀前期のG・マリーンである。各国の君主はこの考えに基づき、地金銀の獲得のため盛んに金・銀鉱を開発し、また植民地の経営に乗り出した。しかしその結果、国内の貨幣価値の下落（物価の騰貴）を引き起こし、国内産業の発達をかえって妨げることになった。そのため重金主義は、輸入を上回る輸出の実現による地金銀の獲得を主眼とする貿易差額主義の重商主義にとってかわられた。

［根本久雄］

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