A plantation economy is an economy which is based off of agricultural mass production, usually of a few staple products grown on large farms called plantations. Plantation economies are usually dependant on outside forces, due to the fact that the products being harvested en masse are cash crops to be exported.

Throughout history, countries with plantation economies have usually been in South America and Africa, and usually during the historical period of colonization. Plantation economies are also historically associated with slavery, particularly in the United States. Plantation economies usually benefit the large countries to which they are exporting; they usually take the raw materials grown on the plantation and return manufactured goods, making a profit. Throughout most of history, the country recieving the crops have usually been in Western Europe.

External links

• The plantation economy