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I would like to point to a tendency in 19th-century's intellectual and 
cultural life that eased the acceptance of neo-mercantilism. 
 
The 19th century favored eclecticism. To quote an American thinker, Orestes 
Brownson, from 1836, "We must be eclectics, excluding no element of 
humanity, but accepting and melting all into one vast system... We must 
take broad and liberal views, expect truth and find it in all schools, in 
all creeds, in all ages, and in all countries". Eclecticism, especially 
visible (literally) in 19th-century architecture, influenced economics as 
well. As Wilhelm Roscher wrote, "All the peoples of whom we can learn 
anything must be studied..." Variability of economic situation across 
Europe and the world became the economists' main theme.  The economics of 
the Enlightenment was now viewed as too absolute and dogmatic. The eclectic 
climate wasn't particularly good for laissez-faire (as a universal 
doctrine) but was quite all right for neo-mercantilism (as a policy suiting 
particular countries). 
 
Yuri Tulupenko 
 
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