Often on forums (and in real life) you can come across people, mostly young, who are interested in what the word “mercantile” means. The meaning of this word is easy to explain: from Italian and French it is translated as selfish, huckstering, calculating, petty. Just 25-30 years ago, meeting mercantile people in our country was almost impossible. Probably, Soviet upbringing and the imposed belief that all people are equal had an effect. However, that’s how it happened. Today, every person has a lot of opportunities to become richer and more successful, but in those days, in order to be rich, they had to be born, that is, to be the heir of some statesman or the descendant of a noble person who had not lost his fortune.

For a man from the working class, the path to luxury was barred. But no one complained, everyone worked, earned an honest living, and few even suspected that interpersonal relationships could be built based on personal self-interest. Moreover, any more or less mercantile person was despised and mocked. It’s enough to even remember the hero Savely Kramarov in the old Soviet comedy “Big Change”. Of course, he worked just like everyone else, but for the sake of an extra penny he was ready, even on a dare, to hold a large, heavy bottle of water as long as he had enough strength.

Today the situation has changed radically, and a mercantile person is no longer considered an outcast of society. On the contrary, the tendency to trade is actively encouraged, because it is believed that only by knowing how to trade and bargain, one can, if not get rich, then, in any case, not be poor. Nowadays, everyone is looking for benefits for themselves in everything: the state sets a ridiculous minimum wage with crazy taxes that go to no one knows what; private employers seek to profit by any means at the expense of hired workers; banks issue loans at unrealistic interest rates...

And what can we say about interpersonal relationships, when a mercantile girl strives to marry a “major” or, even worse, a rich old man, just so as not to work and live happily ever after! Since childhood, it was “drilled” into her head that a husband must earn a lot, and a wife must spend a lot. And such a concept as “feelings” is all from the realm of fantasy and fairy tales about Cinderella. The same can be said about friendship. Rarely today will anyone be friends “for no reason.” Any mercantile person will not even look in the direction of someone whose income is lower than his own. And if you ask such a “friend” for a loan, he will either not give it, or he will give it, but at such an interest rate that it will be cheaper to apply for a loan from a bank. And such people are friends only as long as everything is fine with their friends. If trouble happens, a mercantile person will not provide help, even moral. It doesn't benefit him.

These people are extremely calculating, selfish, stingy, and greedy. True, most of them prefer to call themselves frugal. The paradox is also that the richer a person is, the greedier he is. Sometimes it reaches the point of absurdity, when he even feels sorry for spending an extra penny on himself, let alone someone else. He is literally “wrapped” in profit, like Uncle Scrooge from the famous cartoon. So money is money, but we shouldn’t forget that, besides it, there is simply life, which tends to pass by or end at the most inopportune moment. And in old age, it suddenly seems that, apart from bank accounts, there is nothing more to remember.

Commercialism is nonsense or a psychological norm of our time

Commercialism is pettiness, prudence, economy, which develops into a kind of bargaining. We call a mercantile person who is concerned with material gain, in general, a selfish person.

The modern world provides us with services at every step and immediately announces their cost, people practically no longer perform selfless acts, they strive to receive some benefit for themselves in return for everything.

Commercialism is a quality that was previously inherent more often in women than in men. Today, almost any person can be described this way, and it is no longer condemned as much as before. This quality begins to be instilled “from the cradle,” as they say. That is, parents are very afraid that the child will be “tricked” in the future or that he will not take advantage of all the opportunities provided. In general, this behavior of adults is dictated by harsh reality, and therefore to some extent is understandable.

In order to fully understand, let’s consider the essence of the concept of “mercantilism”. The meaning of the word is interpreted as “selfish” and “mercenary”. The concept came to us from French and Italian. But commercialism in the Russian language is not limited to one interpretation of “self-interest.” Several more qualities are added to it, for example, prudence and thrift. Note that at the initial stage of their development, these qualities are positive and have a beneficial effect on the development of the individual. But their hypertrophied form no longer has anything good.

In general, a mercantile person is one who seeks to benefit from a situation. As you understand, the benefit can be not only material. Moreover, the germs of such human behavior appear in childhood, therefore a lot depends not only on the family, but also on the environment.

Analyzing the present and past of our country, let us remember the fact that previously our grandparents and parents worked even for an idea, could not receive money and do social work completely free of charge. Nobody is saying that we should leave comfortable jobs with good salaries and join the ranks of idealists. But sometimes it just becomes scary how much the value system in our world has changed. Commercialism is also a fruit of society. If earlier we could say that a woman who is looking for a profitable groom is selfish and calculating, now the search for more favorable working conditions is also a sign of commercialism.

Let's take, for example, a modern woman. She wants to get married successfully, so that her husband earns good money, has a spacious living space, or, more simply put, is completely “packed.” As for the modern man, he strives to find a life partner who will also be wealthy and moderately intelligent. In addition, she must be a good housewife and a wonderful mother to his children. Based on the above, we see that both are mercantile, that is, everyone is looking for some benefit for themselves.

What about the story of Cinderella? Have wonderful feelings really faded into the background, or even the third place?

As it turned out, commercialism can be characteristic of every person who has created the conditions for this type of thinking. Well, he (or she) has seen enough films about a rich and beautiful life, but in the end of such films, as a rule, they show how this life can end. But everyone chooses for themselves, and they must pay alone.

Of course, commercialism is a negative quality that deprives us of humanity and nobility. But we choose, and no one pushes us to anything. After all, you want the best for your children, and you shouldn’t deprive yourself... But where is the cherished line that separates us, people, from mercantile robots, we don’t always know and we don’t always know how to stick to it. So think for yourself, decide for yourself!

Commercialism is:

Commercialism

Commercialism(from lat. mercantile- huckstering, selfish) - excessive prudence, huckstering, stinginess, self-interest, pettiness (not only from a financial point of view).

Commercialism is formed in childhood, but its appearance can be prevented by family education. Commercialism or its absence is influenced by the national and cultural environment. It is believed that modern American culture is most conducive to the development of commercialism.

In modern Russia, commercialism is widespread among young people - even in the Sergiev Posad region, most young people are guided by acquisitive values ​​when choosing a job. It is noteworthy that among already established Russian businessmen, the level of mercantile people is relatively low. He is even lower among the intelligentsia. It should be noted that mercantile people often deny their own selfishness (this behavior is especially typical for hysterical individuals).

Some famous writers have addressed the topic of commercialism. N.V. Gogol had a highly negative attitude towards her.

Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of All Rus'

Mercantility (from French and Italian mercantile - huckstering, selfish) - excessive prudence, huckstering, self-interest, pettiness (not only from a financial point of view).

Commercialism is formed in childhood, but its appearance can be prevented by family education. Commercialism or its absence is influenced by the national-cultural environment. It is believed that modern American culture is most conducive to the development of commercialism.

In modern Russia, commercialism is widespread among young people - even in the Sergiev Posad region, most young people are guided by acquisitive values ​​when choosing a job. It is noteworthy that among already established Russian businessmen, the level of mercantile people is relatively low. He is even lower among the intelligentsia. It should be noted that mercantile people often deny their own selfishness (this behavior is especially typical for hysterical personalities).

Some famous writers have addressed the topic of commercialism. N.V. Gogol had a highly negative attitude towards her.

Sadova Tanyusha

Meaning
1 historical econ. adj. to mercantilism, trade, based on purely commercial calculation, on the desire for immediate benefit ◆ Mercantile system.
2 transfers petty-calculating, huckstering ◆ Mercantile interests. ◆ And everywhere there is a mercantile spirit. A. S. Pushkin ◆ He is too mercantile. ◆ Here is the only place where people are shown not out of necessity, where necessity and mercantile interest that embraces the whole of St. Petersburg have not driven them. N.V. Gogol, “Nevsky Prospekt”
[right ]
Synonyms
merchant, commercial, prudent, industrial, merchant, merchant
petty, huckstering

What is commercialism

MERCANTILITY (from French and Italian mercantile - merchant, selfish), excessive prudence, huckstering; self-interest.
Synonyms: self-interest, greed, self-interest, mercantilism, unselfishness, prudence, self-interest, self-interest, love of money, acquisitiveness, huckstering, selfishness, frugality
:

Mercantility - (from the Latin mercantile, mercenary, selfish) excessive prudence, huckstering, stinginess, self-interest, pettiness (not only from a financial point of view). Commercialism is formed in childhood, but its appearance can be... ... Wikipedia
MERCANTILITY - from the word mercantile. Trade, trading spirit. Explanation of 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots. Mikhelson A.D., 1865. MERCANTILITY, MERCANTILISM (from the word mercantile). 1) trade, trading ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
commercialism - self-interest, self-interest, acquisitiveness, huckstering, self-interest, prudence, love of money, mercantilism, self-interest, selfishness, selfishness, unselfishness Dictionary of Russian synonyms. commercialism n. , number of synonyms: (13) … … Dictionary of synonyms
Commercialism is excessive prudence, self-interest. Dictionary of business terms. Academician. RU. 2001 ... Dictionary of business terms
commercialism - MERCANTIL, oh, oh; flax, linen (book). Overly calculating, huckstering. M. spirit. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S. I. Ozhegov, N. Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
MERCANTILITY - excessive petty prudence, extreme economy, turning into huckstering. Raizberg B. A., Lozovsky L. Sh., Starodubtseva E. B. Modern economic dictionary. 2nd ed. , rev. M.: INFRA M. 479 p. . 1999 ... Economic Dictionary
Mercantility - (from French and Italian mercantile, mercantile, selfish) excessive prudence, huckstering; self-interest. Political science: Dictionary reference book. comp. Prof. Science Sanzharevsky I. I. 2010 ... Political science. Dictionary.
commercialism - (from French and Italian mercantile, mercenary, selfish), excessive prudence, huckstering; self-interest. * * * MERCANTILITY MERCANTILITY (from French and Italian mercantile, mercenary, selfish), excessive prudence, huckstering; … … Encyclopedic Dictionary
commercialism - f. (stinginess, prudence) mercantilisme m ... Large French-Russian and Russian-French dictionary
Mercantility - (from the French mercantile, merchant, selfish, from the Italian, mercante merchant) greed, prudence, huckstering... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

The section is very easy to use. Just enter the desired word in the field provided, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-formation dictionaries. Here you can also see examples of the use of the word you entered.

Meaning of the word mercantile

mercantile in the crossword dictionary

mercantile

• French trade, merchant, industrial, fishing. Mercantile system, expansion of the circle of foreign trade at the expense of other nations

Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Dal Vladimir

mercantile

French trade, merchant, industrial, fishing. Mercantile system, expansion of the circle of foreign trade at the expense of other nations.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

mercantile

mercantile, mercantile; mercantile, mercantile mercantile.

only full forms. Adj. to mercantilism in 1 value. (historical economics). Mercantile system.

trans. Petty-calculating, huckstering. Mercantile interests. And everywhere there is a mercantile spirit. Pushkin. He's too mercantile.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

mercantile

Aya, oh; -flax, -linen (book). An overly calculating huckster. M. spirit.

noun commercialism, -i, f.

New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

Examples of the use of the word mercantile in literature.

And while there is a behind-the-scenes fuss around the work of the Government Commission, while there is a secret struggle between the interested ministries, while the dead are in the ashes mercantile dirty politics are poking around - the old captains have long since made their conclusion: the reason is banal.

But they didn’t respond to my call mercantile the steamboatmen are Inspector Bosorcan himself, the nomadic god of order and tamer of the miner's freemen.

I, for example, know of a case where a five-pound banknote served as a bone of discord, and then completely destroyed half a century of affection between two brothers, and I can only rejoice at the thought of how excellent and indestructible the love is in our mercantile world.

Any traveling artist should be dear to the heart of a person of the right way of thinking, if only because he is a living protest against offices and mercantile spirit, a necessary reminder that life doesn’t have to be what we usually make it into.

But don’t those types of movement that generate the beauty of the body change our general ideas about beauty and good health as values ​​immeasurably higher than mercantile vanity and constant fuss around the desire to snatch and accumulate?

“I will wear it,” he added, again taking off his hat and looking at it so fiercely, as if only considerations mercantile order prevented him from kicking her, - I will wear this emblem of female treachery in memory of the one who gave me happiness, alas, fleeting, for whom I will no longer raise a cup of sparkling wine and by whose grace I have until the end of my short days is destined for separation from the blessed morpheus.

Mother Courage - may this be said to help the directors - like her friends and clients and almost everyone she meets and crosses, recognizes in the war its purely mercantile essence: this is precisely what attracts her.

The Chekhov family needed money, but the terms of payment of royalties for the novel were such that they force one to consider purely mercantile version is untenable.

Ahead we will let the Cossacks go on reconnaissance, through the sands of Central Asia we will go to Herat and fall straight into India to destroy mercantile the greatness of speculative England.

In a woman's mind mercantile reasons always outweigh any patriotism,” Wendy answered, and it was not clear whether she was joking or not.

Nowadays commerce and science mercantile The fatherland urgently needs steel, and therefore I decided to adapt you to accounting.

There is reason to suspect that Perry was not attracted by love, but only mercantile considerations: he dreamed of outliving Samoilova in order to take possession of the untold riches of the Russian aristocrat.

Those farthest from the truth are those who prioritize mercantile causes.

In ancient times, people knew about our Aeroflot only that our planes are the most reliable, our pilots are the most selflessly devoted, our simulators are the largest, our fuel flows in the most generous stream, and in general, we are superior mercantile calculations.

Any mercantile At the same time, we do not pursue goals; the main thing for us is the good of the Motherland.

- (Latin mercantilis, from mercari to trade). Calculating, industrial, commercial, merchant, fishing. Characteristic of a petty trader. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. MERCANTILE Novolatinsk... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Cm … Synonym dictionary

Trade, merchant, trader. Wed. And everywhere there is a mercantile spirit. A. S. Pushkin. Evg. Onegin: (in Nizhny.) Wed. Do you want to offend them, or what? You think that if this is a mercantel, then you can yourself.... This, brother, is simply impolite with your... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)

mercantile- oh, oh. mercantile adj. 1. Rel. to the theory of mercantilism associated with it; trade, commercial. Mercantile industry is also a word from the word petty industry. Zagoskin Moscow and Muscovites. 2. Pettly calculating, huckstering. BAS 1. Every... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

MERCANTILE, oh, oh; flax, linen (book). Overly calculating, huckstering. M. spirit. | noun commercialism, and, female Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Franz. trade, merchant, industrial, fishing. Mercantile system, expansion of the circle of foreign trade at the expense of other nations. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dahl. 1863 1866 … Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

mercantile- oh, oh; flax, flax, book. 1) Trade, commercial. Mercantile interests of the company. 2) Overly calculating, pursuing personal material gain. Mercantile position. An Indian brought pearls here, a European brought fake wines... Everyone fusses, lies... ... Popular dictionary of the Russian language

Trade, merchant, trader Wed. And everywhere there is a mercantile spirit. A.S. Pushkin. Evg. Onegin (in Nizhny) Wed. Do you want to offend them, or what? You think that if this is a mercantel, then you can imagine... This, brother, is simply rude of you.... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary

Aya, oh; flax, flax, flax. [French mercantile; huckster]. 1. only full. to Mercantilism (1 digit). My system. 2. Pettly calculating, self-interested. My interests. My conversations. ◁ Commercialism, and; and. (2 digits). M. actions... encyclopedic Dictionary

mercantile- oh, oh; flax, flax, flax.; (French mercantile mercantile; merchant) see also. commercialism 1) only complete. mercantilism 1) My system. 2) Pettly calculating, self-interested. My interests... Dictionary of many expressions

Books

• Indian cotton and British interest. Reified politics in the colonial era, S. E. Sidorova. The book is dedicated to more than a century (1750s -1870s) history of the region in the center of India during a period of radical changes - from the first contacts of Europeans with the Principality of Nagpur to its inclusion in...
• Indian cotton and British interest. Public policy in the colonial era, Sidorova Svetlana Evgenievna. The book is dedicated to more than a century (1750s -1870s) history of the region in the center of India during a period of radical changes - from the first contacts of Europeans with the Principality of Nagpur to its inclusion in...

Most of us almost every day hear or use such a familiar phrase as “mercantile person”. But what does it mean? Not everyone knows the true meaning. Let's try to figure it out and present the essence of the issue in a language that is easy to understand.

First, let's look a little at the history of the origin of commercialism.

The concept of "mercantilism" was born from the definition of "mercantilism". What is hidden behind this terrible word? Mercantilism is one of many economic theories based on the obsessive desire for government involvement in everyday activities. The meaning of the theory is that values, and in particular such as precious stones, gold, silver, have become the main manifestation of wealth. The first mercantilists who appeared at that time stated that the main wealth of a person in this life consists of expensive metal, land and other benefits, one way or another related to finance.

Based on the above, we can safely define that a mercantile person is a person for whom material values ​​come to the fore in life, i.e. are the main motivator in life. Moreover, the meaning of the word can be used not only financially, but also in a prudent manner in choosing a life partner, friends, sphere of communication, and new acquaintances. We can safely say that commercialism develops in a person from early childhood, and has a strong dependence on national and cultural affiliation.

Ways to combat commercialism. Are there any? Do you want to change the world? - Begin with yourself!

First of all, it is possible and necessary to fight commercialism with the help of proper upbringing of your children. Nobody promised that it would be easy in this life. Raising offspring is hard work in itself, especially in conditions of frequent financial crises. At these moments, you have to save every penny and scroll through all sorts of options for additional income in your head.

How to recognize such a person?

It’s hard to imagine how many mercantile people there are around us. And among them, as long-term statistics show, there are still more women than men. Let us find out the defining features characteristic of mercantile behavior:

• constant search and change of place of work in order to find a better paying one;
• it is unlikely that a mercantile person will make his choice in favor of a financially insolvent person as a life partner;
• mercantile people never do anything for free. They are accompanied through life by the rule: “bash on bash”;
• people who have the quality of commercialism in their character are always and everywhere interested in the financial condition of the people around them, even without always noticing it themselves;
• For the above category of people, life goals, dreams, aspirations for something are always associated and, as a rule, accompanied by huge financial costs;
• a mercantile person very often complains to people around him about his unstable or poor financial situation.

What danger does commercialism pose?

Initially, it may seem to someone that being mercantile in the modern world is quite normal and even inalienable, because people need money and are at the top of the list of most important needs. But it’s no secret that even for a very large sum it is impossible to buy love, health, friends, family, and many other values ​​in life. And when a person is constantly just looking for benefits for himself, then he often does not notice the most important thing, and if he suddenly notices, then unfortunately it is very late.

Commercialism is people's guide to loneliness. The reason for this is the lack of a partner who would meet all the basic requirements and satisfy all the selfish needs of the mercantile partner, who sooner or later is caught in self-interest and is subsequently left alone with his problems, which for him are a familiar way of life. Commercialism absolutely deprives a person of the joys that we encounter every day. Be it a sunrise, freshly fallen snow, a rainbow after the rain, children's laughter, the smile of people close to us. It fences off everything beautiful with an impregnable wall and turns life into torment, into which such people, without realizing it, push themselves.

Commercialism is a serious drawback that we should try to eradicate as quickly as possible. And mercantile people should not be allowed into your social circle. It’s just worth thinking for a moment about what values ​​the lives of mercantile people revolve around and what awaits them next?…