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world21h ago
What 'banana republic' means — and why its history matters
- The term 'banana republic' originated from US fruit companies' influence in Central America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Guatemala’s 1954 CIA-sponsored coup toppled Jacobo Arbenz to protect United Fruit Company profits.
- Diego Rivera’s mural ‘Glorious Victory’ depicted the UFC, the CIA, and US officials in Arbenz’s downfall.
- Labor violence, including the 1928 Banana Massacre in Colombia, illustrates the human toll of banana profits.
- The term has broadened beyond its origins, increasingly used to describe various forms of external influence and domestic instability.
- Some Latin Americans view the term as a reminder of historical power dynamics rather than an inherent national trait.
- Scholars urge careful use of the term to reflect historical relationships, not stereotypes about entire nations.
- The nickname has entered other languages and political discourse beyond Central America.
- The article links past corporate power to current debates on US policy and global governance.
- The piece highlights how foreign corporate power shaped land reforms and political life in Central America.
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