O"novo tipo de colonialismo", mencionado no texto, tem, entre suas características

The new colonialism differs from the original colonialism, it tends to be mostly revolving around the economy. In the new colonialism, the more powerful nations tend to use their corporations to set them in places where they can produce with much less expenditure. They use loans to make the nations dependent on them, and also to provide them with certain things if they are not able to pay on time. They use the natural resources of the less powerful nations, manufacture them and sell them for their own profit. In general, the methods are to manage to gain economic control of a nation, and then use that in their own advantage and totally exploit the nation for their own benefit.

a. competition with other nations.

an economic reason that the south needed a reconstruction plan is that plantations, factories, and other businesses were destroyed during the war.