Final answer:
British leaders, with mercantilist views, envisioned Georgia as a market for British goods and a producer of wine and silk. They hoped it would become self-sufficient but the colony's early economy relied on cattle, timber, and trade with Native Americans rather than luxury goods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on Britain's mercantilist policies during Georgia's colonial period, British leaders most likely believed that the colony would serve as an important market for goods manufactured in Britain, and they were hopeful that Georgia's climate would be ideal for the production of wine and silk. However, their hopes for a self-sufficient colony producing luxury items were not initially realized. While they might have expected Georgia to contribute valuable resources for trade, including potentially cotton and tobacco, the early economic activities were centered around cattle, timber, and trade with local Native American tribes rather than the intended luxury goods. Despite this shift in economic focus, the mercantilist system intended for the colony to supply raw materials and serve as a market for manufactured goods from Britain, rather than to foster trade with rival nations like France and Spain. Moreover, Georgia's role as a buffer zone indicated a strategic rather than purely economic interest, supporting the colony's importance in British imperial policy.