Mercantilists failed to understand the notions of absolute advantage and comparative advantage (although this idea was only fully fleshed out in 1817 by David Ricardo) and the benefits of trade.
Os mercantilistas eran incapaces de entender nocións como a da vantaxe competitiva (aínda que esta idea só chegou a ser entendida con David Ricardo en 1817) e os beneficios do comercio.