Scottish philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790) was strongly critical of the economic system that prevailed in his era. Smith criticized what he called the "mercantile system" because it restricted trade and thus restricted economic growth. The mercantile system believed the wealth of the world was a fixed amount, measured primarily in gold and silver accumulated. The system promoted a nation selling its products abroad but not needing to buy from others, or imposing heavy tariffs if importing anything. Colonies were created to provide raw materials and resources to the mother country and a market for the mother country's products. Commerce was heavily controlled by the government through charters granted to specific trading companies.
Adam Smith countered by advocating a free market -- the opportunity individual businessmen and for all nations to increase their wealth by exchanging goods freely with one another according to what would become known as capitalist principles. We also speak of <em>"laissez-faire"</em> ("let go") as a term for this sort of free-market economy, set free from government controls. This term came from a French group of thinkers called the Physiocrats (meaning "rule by nature') who were working during the same 18th century era as Smith. The Physiocrats and Smith were in agreement about getting government out of the business of controlling business.
