“Independence movements in the Americas emerged because of economic factors rather than political factors.” With reference to one independence movement, to what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the suggestion that economic causes were more important than political causes in starting independence movements in the Americas. Candidates may agree, partly agree or disagree with the statement. For economic causes, candidates may refer to mercantilism, and to the strict control of trade and taxation. For Spanish colonies, Creoles felt they were prevented from economic success by the Peninsulars, who ran the colonies and had greater ties to Spain. Candidates may refer to political causes such as the ideas of the Enlightenment, laws being imposed on the colonies by the mother country, and lack of representation. Spanish colonies were reluctant to be ruled by Joseph Bonaparte, the French replacement for Ferdinand VII.