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What is mercantilism?

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pvt chaos said:
The issue is that the mercantilism mechanic and detailed ins and outs isnt explained at all in EU4 while in EU3 it was very obvious what the slider did. Im still wondering if your merchants in EU4 perform better abroad if you have less mercantilism , just like the EU3 mechanic.
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It is really simple, and the tooltip explains it. It is just a boost to provincial trade power, the trade power you get from provinces. That is the only thing it effects, and there is no more to understand.

In the game files it says:
Code: 
mercantilism = {
	global_prov_trade_power_modifier = 2.0
}
I.E. 2*Mercantilism = bonus to province trade power. 10% mercantilism = 20% bonus.

Though no doubt there are hidden events triggered by certain levels in it, the same can be said for every other value/idea in the game.

I am perplexed by how many people having problems understanding trade, since it is fully explained in game, unlike some other mechanics.
 
Maldenic said:
Though no doubt there are hidden events triggered by certain levels in it, the same can be said for every other value/idea in the game.
I am perplexed by how many people having problems understanding trade, since it is fully explained in game, unlike some other mechanic.
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I know what the basic mercantilism does, im looking for the hidden stuff , as the mechanic was complexer in EU3 and I cant believe they shafted it down to just a blank province modifier and nothing more.
 
Galaahd said:
It's actually "Discovered the India trade route" modifier, and I don't understand why it requires low mercantilism. Didn't that same modifier require HIGH mercantilism in EU III? Or I remember wrong?
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Yeah that triggered modifier required NOT = { mercantilism_freetrade = -2 }. It's interesting that Paradox made a complete 180 on this. I wonder why.
 
balmung60 said:
Seems to me that you want it as high as you can get it without shutting down the East India Trade Route modifier.
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I don't know, having high mercantilism enables some cool decisions later in the game. For instance, Declare the statute of monopolies, but there was another one as well. Maybe even two.
 
Mercantilism = Is basically government controlled trade in home Provinces so early game its nice because you usually are working out of 1 CoT in your home province.

Free Trade = Is trade not Government controlled (its free) it is better when you start your big trade empires. Because you lose some efficiency in home provinces for greater power in the wider world.
 
FearTheAmish said:
Mercantilism = Is basically government controlled trade in home Provinces so early game its nice because you usually are working out of 1 CoT in your home province.

Free Trade = Is trade not Government controlled (its free) it is better when you start your big trade empires. Because you lose some efficiency in home provinces for greater power in the wider world.
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+1

Also, Merchantalism is good for large land empires that conquer CoTs. Free Trade is good for smaller realms that don't have any/many CoTs, trade a lot and don't conquer (so they remain small-ish and don't have many CoTs).
 
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Mercantilism was one of the primary driving factors behind European colonialism. This should be represented in the game by giving some colonial bonuses with mercantilism.
 
My understanding is that you get trading power bonus in nodes where provinces you own belong. Richer the provinces, bigger the bonus, more provinces, more of the bonus. Mercantilism is basically a modifier that increases this effect thats already there. A highly mercantile country owning 5 provinces would get a bigger bonus than a not so mercantile country also having 5 as valuable provinces. So, unless there are some decisions that with specific requirements, like someone mentioned before, i see no reason why not to go for this.

Unless im missing something?
 
It is really simple, and the tooltip explains it. It is just a boost to provincial trade power, the trade power you get from provinces. That is the only thing it effects, and there is no more to understand
Click to expand...

I'm fairly certain some events trigger based on having high (or low) mercantilism score though.
 
Arilou said:
I'm fairly certain some events trigger based on having high (or low) mercantilism score though.
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East India trade requires under 30 mercantilism but that is only one i have seen. Honestly for my Colonial empire games i want it low for the trade steering effects, and High when i am playing conquest games.
 
FearTheAmish said:
East India trade requires under 30 mercantilism but that is only one i have seen. Honestly for my Colonial empire games i want it low for the trade steering effects, and High when i am playing conquest games.
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But it doesnt affect trade steering? And more power in a node=more your ability to send trade forward? (if you own a province) so higher would be better? as long as it doesnt negate east indy trade route.
 
Just another benefit of mercantilism: if you have it over 50%, the event from American revolution that spawns lots of rebels won't trigger.
 
gliomarto said:
Just another benefit of mercantilism: if you have it over 50%, the event from American revolution that spawns lots of rebels won't trigger.
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Er... shouldn't that be the other way around?
I guess if they still have tea left to dump into the sea as protest you're just not taking enough of it!
 
Some positive events are related to low mercantilism. Like this one or the trade bonanza event:

Code: 
# Trade Expansion
country_event = {
	id = 6328
	title = "EVTNAME6328"
	desc = "EVTDESC6328"
	picture = MERCHANTS_TALKING_eventPicture

	is_triggered_only = yes
	
	trigger = {
		NOT = { mercantilism = 0.2 }
		any_active_trade_node = {
			is_sea = yes
		}	
		NOT = {
			has_country_modifier = freetrade_modifier
		}			
	}

	mean_time_to_happen = {
		days = 1
	}

	option = {
		name = "EVTOPTA6328"
		add_country_modifier = {
			name = freetrade_modifier
			duration = 3650
		}		
	}
}
 
Phi said:
Some positive events are related to low mercantilism. Like this one or the trade bonanza event:
Click to expand...
That is just the event that temporarily gives the country modifier that replaces the free trade slider. There is an event for all of the old sliders, including one for mercantilism which you must have high mercantilism for. It would be interesting to find out which gives more positive/negative events, high mercantilism or low mercantilism. It could help determine which is better to have.
 
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