The two colonial empires of Spain and Portugal were very prosperous, why did they end up being short

Spain and Portugal were the first countries in modern European history to start overseas colonization and plunder, and they had huge financial and material resources, but they were short-lived. The first reason is that these two countries have used all the wealth they plundered for pleasure, and not for production or other social spheres. Later, the capitalist countries of Britain used most of the money plundered overseas for investment in reproduction, making capital snowball bigger and bigger, and Portugal and Spain were like spending money without making a sound.

The second is that these two countries have not ushered in the social revolution for a long time, and have always maintained feudal rule, which is very unfavorable to social development, especially when the first industrial revolution came, the capitalist countries at that time seized the opportunity and caught up, and these two countries did not carry out such revolutions, and naturally began to lag behind other emerging countries.

In the end, the constant wars consumed too much strength, especially Spain, which constantly participated in the competition of European affairs, and the War of the Spanish Succession seriously depleted Spain's national strength.

Anyone who knows the history of the world knows that Spain and Portugal rose to prominence because of their great maritime military power and their geographical location. Because of their strong maritime power, Spain and Portugal continued to plunder at sea and expand abroad. However, whether it was plundering or expanding, the Spanish and Portuguese countries only transported the wealth and other resources they had seized back to their home countries, and then squandered them by the royal family and the nobility.

The Spanish and Portuguese did not make full use of their maritime superiority and the looted finances. Due to the relatively weak industrial bases of the two countries, those wealth were not converted into funds for industrial development, and were not used to lay the industrial base, but only to buy luxury goods and consumer goods from other countries such as Britain and the Netherlands for the use of the royal family and nobles. The lack of its own industrial development is the fundamental reason why Spain and Portugal have not been strong for a long time.

In addition, Britain and the Netherlands also benefited from the rise of Spain and Portugal. Spain buys products from them and provides them with funds for economic development. As their own industries developed, their maritime military power grew stronger and even surpassed that of Spain and Portugal, and eventually, Britain and the Netherlands replaced Spain and Portugal as maritime supremacy.

The two countries that flourished in Spain and Portugal were short-lived after all.

Constantly improve military strength, constantly improve equipment to expand outward, through their own military strength to conquer many raiding countries, let them become their own colonies.

The empire was established during the Age of Discovery, and Spain was the first to become powerful and then cooperated with other nations.

It's really complicated to say, Spain's discovery of the New World, Portugal's monopoly of Indian spices, all of which brought great wealth to the two teeth, first in the treasury of the Aztec Empire and the Inca Empire, followed by a large number of silver mines in the Chilean region, and there was a trade with West Africa, which was rich in **, and the two teeth traded with it. Then there is Portugal's black gold and spice triangle with India, West Africa, and Brazil**. These are the advantages of the two teeth, which will be analyzed in detail next.

But what are these ** goods that they really rely on? It is a cotton textile (English and French) of Northwest Europe. Specifically, cotton spinning (Britain and France) - slaves and gold mines [gold mines were taken directly] (West Africa) - cash crops (South America) triangular blacks**, these are Spanish.

In Portugal, it is a cycle of cotton spinning – gold mining – spices (India).

Both countries have taken a route, that is, they are too dependent on one kind of ** material - cotton spinning.

In fact, this is just an economic restriction, and more of it is made by Spain, what is Spain doing? He went to engage in hegemony, in a certain emperor (which II?) I can't remember exactly) period was already the control of Britain and France**.

You know, what is the most expensive to spend? It was the war, including the Spanish participation in the Battle of Lepanto at that time, which crushed the Ottoman navy.

Under the war, no matter how rich the country is, it will be dragged down, no matter how many gold and silver mines, what about the Aztec treasury, it is not spent yet...

Spain was powerless after the destruction of the Armadada, and South American navies were often harassed by British and French pirates (somewhat of a pirates). So the world after that was Anglo-French.

To sum up, what caused the decline of the two teeth:1Too much dependence on one ** goods, fattening Britain and France.

2.War costs too much money.

3.The colonial system was not perfect, and the number of immigrants was not large.

4.This is very important, but it does not need to be said, what did Spain do when they regained the lost territory, you must know that you must know the history, they drove out all the Muslims and Jews, and those who did not leave were killed, what is this concept? They drove out the best bankers in the world (Jews) and the best businessmen (Muslims) of the time, and the Muslims controlled the east, which was a mountain of gold!

Because of these wrong decisions, the strength of the two teeth has declined.

The reasons for the decline of Spain are many and complex.

Fundamentally, it is the productivity that has not kept up with the times. There is no continuing to guide the tide of the world.

Militarily, the European continent was at that time at a time of frequent wars. The biggest was the Thirty Years' War, and Spain and Portugal declined one after another.

Economically, instead of using the plundered wealth for industry and commerce, he squandered and enjoyed it, which led to the decline of his own economy, but injected sufficient capital into the development of Britain and France.

In international relations, Spain was busy competing for the throne and hegemony in Europe, and its power in the colonies declined.

In the colonies, the people were dissatisfied with colonial rule and carried out independence movements.