The logic of the liberal approach is that the economic benefits of trade arise from imports: the cheaper the imports, the better, even if the result is a trade deficit. Mercantilists, however, view trade as a means of supporting domestic production and employment, and prefer to spur exports rather than imports.
这些不同的经济模型对国际经济政策有着可预测的影响。自由模式的逻辑是贸易的经济效益来自进口：进口越便宜越好，即使会导致贸易逆差。而重商主义者则把贸易视为一种支持国内生产和就业的手段，因而更愿意刺激出口而不是进口。