What was a primary method of economic exploitation used by colonial powers during the colonial period?

A primary method of economic exploitation used by colonial powers during the colonial period was the extraction of resources. Colonial powers often took valuable materials, like gold, silver, and spices, from the countries they controlled. They would set up plantations or mines and force local people to work under harsh conditions without fair pay. For example, in the Americas, European colonists established sugar plantations that relied on enslaved African labor, leading to immense profits for the colonizers while devastating local communities. This exploitation not only enriched the colonial powers but also caused long-lasting social and economic problems in the colonized regions.