Which capacity of the colonial state increased through forest transformation in Java?

Correct answer: Capacity to control resources labour and rural life

The direct answer is A: forest transformation increased the colonial state's capacity to control resources, labour and rural life. When the state mapped forests, made rules, restricted access and supervised timber work, it gained power over both nature and people. Option A is correct because it includes the three linked areas of control: resources such as teak, labour used in forestry, and villagers' everyday lives. Option B is wrong because colonial forest policy generally reduced local self-rule rather than granting complete self-government. Option C is wrong because the state did not simply end forest use; it reorganised and controlled it for colonial purposes. Option D is wrong because forest transformation did not mean abandoning sea trade; teak itself was connected with ships and wider commerce. Reasoning: legal ownership gives authority; authority regulates entry and labour; regulation affects rural livelihoods; therefore state power expands. Memory cue: colonial forest control means control of trees and people together.