In the context of the 'New Imperialism,' what does 'monoculture' refer to?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: An economy based on the production of a single cash crop for export
Imperial powers often forced colonies to grow only one crop (like cocoa in Ghana or cotton in Egypt). While efficient for the metropole, it made colonial economies extremely vulnerable to fluctuating global prices and crop diseases.
Keep practicing
More Economic Motives questions
- Which global phenomenon in the 18th and 19th centuries created the massive demand for raw materials that drove New Imperialism?
- Imperial powers sought 'captive markets' in their colonies primarily to:
- The pursuit of rubber, a vital resource for the automotive and electrical industries, led to extreme exploitation in which two regions?
- How did the 'Long Depression' (1873–1896) in Europe influence imperial expansion?
- What was the primary economic motivation for the British to establish a 'protectorate' over Egypt in 1882?
- The concept of 'extractive economies' in a colonial context refers to: