How did the enclosure movement foster England's desire to colonize?

• A. By encouraging the development of local industries, making colonization unnecessary.
• B. By increasing domestic food production, reducing the need for overseas expansion.
• C. By displacing rural workers, creating a surplus labor force that sought opportunities abroad.
• D. By promoting religious tolerance, leading to peaceful relations with neighboring countries.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the Enclosure Movement: It was a process in England where common lands were privatized and enclosed, often by fencing, which transformed shared agricultural land into individually owned plots.
2. Recognize the Economic Impact: Enclosure increased agricultural efficiency but also displaced many rural workers who previously relied on common lands for subsistence farming.
3. Analyze the Labor Market Effect: The displacement created a surplus labor force—many rural workers lost their livelihoods and had limited employment opportunities within England.
4. Connect to Colonization: This surplus labor force became motivated to seek new opportunities abroad, fueling England's desire to establish colonies where these displaced workers could settle and work.
5. Summarize the Link: Therefore, the Enclosure Movement indirectly fostered colonization by pushing displaced rural workers to migrate overseas, supporting England's expansionist goals.