The Exploitation of Puerto Rico by the United States

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The Exploitation of Puerto Rico by the United States

Puerto Rico has had a long history of dependency. Puerto Rico was first colonized by Spain until the Spanish American war, which resulted in the colonization by the United States in 1898. While Spain was in the process of devising an agreement with Puerto Rico that would grant the island autonomy, the invasion of the United States ended any plans that would grant this reprise (Figueroa, 11/19/98). The U.S. decided to partake in this colonial expansion because Puerto Rico had tremendous potential for investment and commerce as well as being geo-politically strategic. The U.S. had intentions to take Spain and its influence out of the western-hemisphere. In 1917 Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship to the United States and in 1947 they were permitted to attempt a form of self-governing on the island.

From 1952 to the present, Puerto Rico has held a "commonwealth" status. A status that has not been directly defined but is neither a colony nor a state. Puerto Rico’s political status has been the primary issue of debate on the island.(To read more about this issue click here!) The three sides of this debate are the: pro-commonwealth, pro-statehood, and pro-independence. There is a great dilemma to the question of Puerto Rico’s political status and the relationship between the island and the United States.

The island’s "commonwealth" status allows for Puerto Rico to be assisted by the U.S. in the attempt for economic transformation and industrialization. However the status also allows the U.S. to reap the benefits for the success of the massive amounts of investment that Puerto Rico has attracted.

The commonwealth status has not helped the majority of islanders. The amount of ...

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...Melendez, Edgardo. Colonial Dilemma: Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Puerto Rico. South End Press. Boston, MA.1993

Morris, Nancy Puerto Rico: Culture, Politics, and Identity. (Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1995).

Rivera-Batiz, Francisco. Santiago, Carlos. Island Paradox: Puerto Rico in the 1990s. Russell Sage Foundation. New York. 1996

Santiago, Roberto, (ed.). Boricuas: Influential Writings—An anthology. (New York: Ballantine Books, 1995).

Scarano, Francisco. "Sugar and Slavery in Puerto Rico, 1815-1849: An overview," from Scarano, Sugar and Slavery in Puerto Rico: The Plantation Economy of Ponce, 1800-1850. (Madison: U of Wisconsin Press, 1984).

Trías-Monge, José. "The Shaping of a Colonial Policy", from: Trías-Monge, Puerto Rico: The Trials of the Oldest Colony in the World (New Haven: Yale U Press, 1997).

Waxer, Lise. Lecture dated 11/15/98 for Hist. 378.

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