Final answer:
British landownership changes in Irish society primarily involved forcing farmers to focus on cash crops for export, a practice reflected in colonial policies around the world. The enclosure movement, privatizing land and displacing peasants, contributed to major social and economic shifts.
Step-by-step explanation:
British landownership in Ireland changed society significantly during its history, with one of the primary impacts being the forcing of farmers to grow cash crops. This model of agrarian economy is mirrored in many colonial territories where the British and other colonial powers established control. For instance, plantations in different parts of the world replaced native food crops and other forms of traditional agriculture with cash crops for export. These crops were suited to the needs of the colonial powers rather than the sustenance of the local population. Farmers, under colonial rule, were often pressed into the production of these crops which were in high demand in Europe, such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar. In the case of Ireland, this shift in land use and the consolidation of land under British landowners had profound social and economic impacts. As an example, during the enclosures movement, common lands were privatized and peasants displaced, pushing many to migrate to urban areas or other countries. This contributed to significant societal changes, including the development of a rural underclass and a wealthy landed gentry.