Editing Merchant (section)

{{Short description|Businessperson who trades in goods that were produced by others}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
[[File:Merchants in a Southern Port by Thomas Wyck c1660.jpg|thumb|right|Merchants in a Southern Port by [[Thomas Wyck]] {{Circa|1660}}]]
A '''merchant''' is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated in ancient [[Babylonia]], [[Assyria]], [[Ancient China|China]], [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]], [[Ancient Greece|Greece]], [[Ancient India|India]], [[Ancient Persia|Persia]], [[Phoenicia]] and [[Roman Empire|Rome]]. During the European [[medieval period]], a rapid expansion in trade and commerce led to the rise of a wealthy and powerful [[merchant class]]. The European [[Age of Discovery]] opened up new trading routes and gave European consumers access to a much broader range of goods. By the 18th century, a new type of manufacturer-merchant had started to emerge and modern [[business practices]] were becoming evident.

The status of the merchant has varied during different periods of history and among different societies. In modern times, the term ''merchant'' has occasionally been used to refer to a businessperson or someone undertaking activities (commercial or industrial) for the purpose of generating profit, cash flow, sales, and revenue using a combination of human, financial, intellectual and physical [[Capital (economics)|capital]] with a view to fueling economic development and growth.

[[File:BritLibAddMS35166ApocalypseUnkFolio3SealBlackHorse.jpg|thumb|A scale or balance is often used to symbolise a merchant]]