|
Links 🔗
- The Red on Yellow — Chiquita’s Banana Colonialism in Latin America
- The Banana Republics
- WHAT’S IN A NAME | BANANA REPUBLIC
No, I’m not really talking about the clothing store of the same name here, rather what the term means historically.
So, what’s a Banana Republic?
- Late 19th Century, American companies bought up large plots of land in Central & South America for agriculture & plantations (pineapples, sugarcane, bananas etc.)
- In Honduras’ case, it was bananas. Produced cheaply by indigenous people, profited greatly by American fruit companies ie. United Fruit Company (now Chiquita Banana) and Standard Fruit (now Dole Food Company)
- This created huge wealth gaps between the poor masses and rich elite ruling class
- Local governments would make reforms for the people (better wages, land reform), but the fruit companies would overthrow them with hired mercenaries
This is the basic pattern for Banana Republics, massive/wealthy foreign companies influencing local governments with coups just to continue their profit cycle, creating corrupt governments and wealth disparity. So, yea… just something to think about when you eat a banana or get pants from the brand or something.
|
