In Das Kapital, Karl Marx outlined a historical progression of socioeconomic systems: tribal communism, slave societies, feudalism, capitalism, socialism, and communism. However, one notable omission from this framework is mercantilism. Why was it left out? While mercantilism and capitalism overlap, they are distinct systems with different economic policies, modes of production, and underlying principles. By omitting mercantilism, Marx could attribute its exploitative practices—particularly colonialism—directly to capitalism, reinforcing his ideological critique.MercantilismConquest and ColonizationMercantilism was closely tied to imperial expansion. European powers sought to accumulate wealth by establishing colonies, extracting resources, and monopolizing trade.State

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