Question

How did mercantilism increase the likelihood of conflicts between European powers

Answer 1

Competition over wealth and resources--under the theory of mercantilism it was believed there was a limited amount of wealth in the world and power was given to the country that held the most wealth.

 Power and wealth are connected under the mercantilism theory. If there is only so much wealth in the world and a country must hold the most wealth to have the most power, then countries would be willing to fight each other for wealth. During the late 15th and early 15th centuries, this theory drove European countries to create colonies and trade connections with Asian Empires. In doing this they believed they were gaining power through the wealth of land and resources.