MODERN AGE

Apuntes

MODERN AGE I 17TH – 18TH CENTURIES MERCANTILISM, ENLIGHTMENT & LIBERAL-BOURGEOIS REVOLUTIONS (ENGLISH REVOLUTION, AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND FRENCH REVOLUTION) I. MERCANTILISM WHAT IS CAPITAL? WHAT IS CAPITAL?  Capital – from latin “capitalis” (vital)  In the context of the 16th-17th centuries, "capital" will refer only to an amount of money that can be lent or invested. MERCANTILISM  Monarchies financing explorations and imperial conquests - Spain and Portugal  Economic period where there is an expansion of the market, circulation of coined money and the appearance of credit.  Emergence of powerful merchants and lenders.  Overseas colonies  States that will dominate the world until the 19th century (Austria, Prussia, Russia, England, France).  Original accumulation of K (capital) with raw materials and exploited slaves from America, Asia and Africa. MERCANTILISM  Precious metals constitute the essential wealth of States.  Accumulation of precious metals as the effective way to achieve state enrichment.  Exploitation of America, Africa and Asia  How was this system?  What was the logic? When money is scarce, so is trade (!)  When does mercantilism begin to decline Indust...