Final answer:
The statement is true; mercantilism focuses on achieving an export surplus to accumulate precious metals, as nations believed wealth was finite and represented by gold and silver stores.
Step-by-step explanation:
The central idea of mercantilism is indeed that there should be an export surplus so a nation can accumulate precious metals. This statement is true. Under mercantilist theory, nations sought to maximize their store of precious metals by minimizing imports and maximizing exports. Mercantilism is based on the belief that the world's wealth, measured in gold and silver, is finite, so an increase in wealth for one nation meant a loss for another. This led European governments to take certain measures such as imposing tariffs, granting monopolies, and subsidizing industries to ensure an export surplus and the accumulation of these precious metals.