Final answer:
Winston Churchill was concerned that abandoning the imperial preference would weaken the British Empire's economy and reduce its global influence, ultimately leading to its decline.
Step-by-step explanation:
Winston Churchill was worried that the abandonment of the imperial preference would significantly weaken the British Empire's economic framework and thereby reduce its global influence. Imperial preference was a policy adopted by the British Empire that favored the trade within the empire by imposing lower tariffs on imports from member countries compared to those from non-member countries. This system was integral to maintaining the British Empire's economic unity and dominance.
Churchill believed that without the economic benefits that imperial preference provided, the empire would struggle to compete against more economically liberated countries, particularly the United States. During World War II, when the question of sustaining the empire became critical, Churchill was especially concerned that giving up imperial preference would lead to the decline of the British Empire and a shift in the global balance of power. Eventually, the post-war period did see the dissolving of the British Empire as nations within it gained independence, confirming the long-term impacts that Churchill feared.