[WRhine]

"Mercantilist nations" What does this term mean? It appears to be central to your discussion and I'll need to understand it prior to structuring a reply.

Mercantilist nations are those nations that erect trade barriers, subsidies and other protectionist measures to shield their industries from international competition while pursuing export "dumping" policies (selling at or below cost) to destroy and take over industries of the nations they export to.

Exhibit A: China. Exhibit B: Japan. China is just taking Japan's trade mercantilism to new heights.

Does this sound like "free trade"?

[Whispering Smith]

"Mercantilist nations"
Do you have a reference I could read on this subject? I thought merchantilism featured a vertically integrated mother country to and from colony trade structure. Not predatory monopolistic policies you are describing.