... powers. `The implications of colonial rule on the colonies are considerable, and there was a large impact on local economics, culture and political systems. The manner in which decolonization took place also led to problems. Many geographers see a colonial past as probably the most important initial condition for underdevelopment. Although there is an obvious negative association between colonial rule and industrialisation, colonialism did give some benefits to the colonies. `The most obvious legacy of colonial rule was the deprivation of resources on a massive scale over a long period of time. In the later stages of colonial rule, the resources that could be exploited were the main reason for establishing a colony. For example, between 1600-1810, the Spanish rulers exported 185 tons of gold and 22,000 tons of silver from their colonies in the Americas back to Spain, and in 1585, one quarter of all Spanish revenue came from the colonies ...

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