----- Original Message ----- From: "Devine, James" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
While it's true that abstract concepts such as mercantilism can "give a false unity to disparate events, to conceal the close up reality of particular times and particular circumstances..." that doesn't mean that the use of such concepts _always and everywhere_ leads to such confusion, excessive abstraction, or reification. We shouldn't give in to the abstract drive to reject abstractions. =================== My guess is that Cole was attempting to assert that we shouldn't say that those policymakers/powerholders from the 16-early 18th centuries saw themselves as mercantilists pursuing mercantilist policies. Ian
