WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

mercantilism
    n 1: an economic system (Europe in 18th century) to increase a
         nation's wealth by government regulation of all of the
         nation's commercial interests [syn: mercantilism,
         mercantile system]
    2: transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of
       supplying commodities (goods and services) [syn: commerce,
       commercialism, mercantilism]