They could and they did. That meant that Spain ended up importing more and exporting less, which would have been bad for Spanish businesses. There’s a lot more

They could and they did. That meant that Spain ended up importing more and exporting less, which would have been bad for Spanish businesses. There’s a lot more to “wealth” than just having a bunch of stuff. Especially in the long term, since most “stuff” will wear out or otherwise decay over time.