Neo-colonialism refers to a new form of global power relationship that involves not direct political control over former colonies, but rather economic exploitation and dominance exerted by powerful multinational corporations and global financial institutions based in developed countries over less developed nations. In this system, former colonies or developing countries may be politically independent but remain economically dependent on and vulnerable to the interests of these powerful economic actors from the developed world. This dependence can manifest through control over key industries, trade imbalances, debt burdens, and the influence of international financial policies that may benefit wealthy nations at the expense of poorer ones. Neo-colonialism suggests that the patterns of global inequality established during the colonial era persist through economic mechanisms rather than direct political rule.