plantation system
[plan-ˈtā-shən ˈsis-təm]
nounpl: plantation systems
sistema de plantation / sistema de plantação
1. An economic and social system based on large-scale agricultural estates (plantations) worked by enslaved or coerced labor, producing cash crops for export
The plantation system dominated the economy of the American South before the Civil War.
O sistema de plantation dominou a economia do Sul americano antes da Guerra Civil.
2. A historical labor structure characterized by vast land holdings, monoculture crop production, and hierarchical social organization
Portugal implemented the plantation system in Brazil during the colonial period, primarily for sugar production.
Portugal implementou o sistema de plantation no Brasil durante o período colonial, principalmente para produção de açúcar.
3. An agricultural and colonial model that reinforced racial and class hierarchies through forced labor exploitation
The plantation system created lasting socioeconomic disparities that persisted long after abolition.
O sistema de plantation criou disparidades socioeconômicas duradouras que persistiram muito tempo após a abolição.
The plantation system is fundamental to understanding both Brazilian and American colonial and post-colonial history. In Brazil, it's inseparable from the discussion of slavery, African diaspora, and sugar production cycles. In the USA, it remains central to discussions of racial inequality, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. The term carries significant historical weight and emotional resonance in both countries, as it represents centuries of exploitation, slavery, and lasting socioeconomic disparities. Modern usage often appears in historical, academic, and social justice contexts.
Related Idioms & Phrases
plantation economy - an economy heavily dependent on large-scale agricultural export production
legacy of the plantation system - historical consequences and ongoing effects of colonial exploitation
break the plantation cycle - to escape or overcome systemic economic exploitation rooted in colonial structures
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