Merchants began to move countryside in 17th & 18th century-(i) Merchants could not expand production within towns(ii) The trade guilds restricted the entry of new people into thetrade in towns.(ii) Any other relevant pointAny one point to be examined.

Merchants began to move countryside in 17th & 18th century-(i) Merchan

1.	Merchants began to move countryside in 17th & 18th century-(i) Merchants could not expand production within towns(ii) The trade guilds restricted the entry of new people into thetrade in towns.(ii) Any other relevant pointAny one point to be examined.
Answer» <p>In the 17th and 18th centuries, merchants from the towns in Europe began moving to thecountryside, supplying money to peasants and artisans, persuading them to produce for an international market. The merchants could not expand production within towns because here urban crafts and trade guilds were powerful. These were associations of producers that trained craftspeople, maintained control over production, regulated competition and prices and restricted the entry of new people into the trade. Rulers granted the monopoly right to produce and trade in specific products to different guilds. Therefore it was difficult for new merchants to set up business in towns and hence turned to the countryside.</p>