The first one is the answer ;)
It does not
sorry if this is wrong
The policy of mercantilism was intended to protect the traders and maximise income. <span>At the heart of mercantilism is the view that maximising net exports is the best route to national prosperity. The most effective way of ensuring a country’s prosperity was to make few imports and many exports, thereby generating a net inflow of foreign exchange and maximising the country’s gold stocks.</span>