What is the practice of gaining political control over another country for economic exploitation called?

The practice of gaining political control over another country for economic exploitation is best described as imperialism. This term refers to the policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force, primarily for the purpose of economic gain.

Imperialism often involves the domination of one nation over another and can result in the extraction of resources, exploitation of labor, and the establishment of markets for goods produced by the imperial nation. This concept became particularly prominent during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when European powers expanded their empires into Africa, Asia, and the Americas, seeking raw materials and new markets for their industrial products.

Colonialism, while related, specifically refers to the establishment of settlements or colonies in a foreign land. It is a form of imperialism but focuses more on the physical occupation and governance of territories rather than just political control for exploitation. The encomienda system was a labor system instituted by the Spanish in the Americas that allowed colonists to extract forced labor from indigenous peoples, but it is more specific to the Spanish colonial context. The Mandate of Heaven is an ancient Chinese philosophy that legitimized the ruler's authority but does not pertain to the economic and political domination characteristic of imperialism.