What was the main goal of Western powers that colonized Southeast Asia?
to help the population increase its standard of living
to provide service jobs for the inhabitants
to export resources to back to Europe
to enable its military to travel more easily throughout the region
1 answer
The main goal of Western powers that colonized Southeast Asia was to export resources back to Europe. These colonizers were primarily interested in exploiting the region's natural resources, such as rubber, tin, spices, and valuable minerals, to enrich themselves and strengthen their economies. They typically established plantations and mines, exploiting local labor, to extract these resources for export to their home countries. The colonizers prioritized economic gains and resource extraction rather than improving the standard of living of the local population or facilitating military travel.