Mercantilism and the future: the future lives of an old philosophy

Abstract

Discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of Public Administration necessarily involves an appraisal of the legacy of mercantilism. Few movements have had more lasting influence on the development of Public Administration or roused more controversy. As a philosophy originating in the Elizabethan era, its effects on the structure and form of political governance and organizations were astounding. Although sometimes cast as a relic of a bygone era, this article discusses how mercantilism and its progeny are alive and well in the twenty-first century global economy

Citation

Rich, P. (2003), "Mercantilism and the future: the future lives of an old philosophy", International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 131-143. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-06-01-2003-B003