Associate Gerhard Frey With The Mercantilist View example essay topic

According to all that I've read, mercantilists are very concerned that they be number one. They hold fast to the ideal that the power of the state is the most important issue. It is through state power and security that the country as a whole will be successful. They are all for capitalism as long as it promotes their state and national interest. On the other hand, neomarxist is interested in equity among the classes.

They believe that capitalism breeds economic inequality among the classes, promotes individual and governmental greed and helps to sustain an international economic system that makes the rich richer. In his article, Antiglobalist Challengers form the Left and Right; Stengel outlines two antiglobalist that fit into the mercantilist ideal rather than the neomarxist. The first is Germany's Gerhard Frey. Frey is a "neofacist millionaire", which right off the bat tells us he's not about equality for the masses. He is concerned with the "foreign" problem, especially when it comes to jobs, which lets us know that his interest is what is best for Germany. His political party strengthens this idea with it's slogan, "Germany first!" .

He seeks to strengthen Germany against what he claims to be "the aims of ruthless U.S. imperialism". Considering all of the above traits, I would definitely associate Gerhard Frey with the mercantilist view, rather than the neomarxist. His goal is to strengthen the state rather than bring the classes together. The second antiglobalist I wish to speak of is Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Chavez campaigned for and won the presidency of Venezuela on a platform of state supported internal development for Venezuela. His slogan, "Venezuela always comes first" puts him in league with the mercantilist view, despite the fact that 80% of Venezuelans lived in poverty.

His desire to root out the evil of the corrupt political system and his use of the military for civilian projects also ties him to the mercantilist view because it shows his desire to strengthen the state and promote a balance of power. The final and most glaring tie that Chavez has to the mercantilist ideal is his use of oil as a weapon against the United States. He intentionally tried to keep oil prices high in order to promote lower prices n goods that his country could buy; thereby giving Venezuela the power he feels it deserves. Neither of these men seek to procure "relative gains for the classes" as is prescribed by the neomarxist view point.

They both seek to strengthen the state. They strive to use monetary and economic policy, trade barriers and even their military to get what they want, a stronger state. Due to their overwhelming desire for their own national interest, rather than the individual interests of the classes they govern or hope to govern, both of these men would be considered mercantilist rather than neomarxist.