Final answer:
Monks contributed economically to Western civilization by preserving learning through the copying of important texts, managing agricultural operations that made monasteries economically significant, and by developing infrastructure, providing charity, and serving as advisors to rulers. Their financial practices also boosted economic ventures for others.
Step-by-step explanation:
The economic contributions of monks to Western civilization were multifaceted and highly significant. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, monasteries became major centers of learning, preserving and copying important texts in the form of illuminated manuscripts. This effort not only saved much of classical Greek and Roman knowledge from being lost but continued advancing intellectual pursuits in an era when learning institutions were scarce.
Monastic communities also were vital in the social and economic structure of the Middle Ages. Adhering to the Rule of Benedict, monks balanced their lives with prayer, study, and useful work. This work included agricultural activities, such as tending crops and managing livestock, which turned many monasteries into economic powerhouses. Monasteries owned vast tracts of land and engaged in the production and sale of goods, generating considerable profit.
Furthermore, monasteries played a key role in aiding the poor and developing infrastructure by building roads and bridges and providing charity using their wealth. Monks served as advisors to rulers due to their high education, impartiality, and understanding of the world, fulfilling critical roles in society beyond their religious duties. They also contributed to the economy by establishing financial practices such as making loans and running various economic enterprises which facilitated economic ventures for laypeople.