The United States employed a series of primary methods in influencing its colonies in the early 20th century through the practice of employing military power, economic coercion, and political diplomacy. One of the methods involved the use of military intervention to gain strategic positions, as shown in the Spanish-American War of 1898 that put Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines under U.S. control. The invasion of Hawaii in 1898 was another moment of American expansion, while the U.S. helped in overthrowing Queen Liliʻuokalani in an attempt to get a Pacific naval base. Economic imperialism was also dominant, since American policymakers and business people wanted foreign markets to increase industrial production, and often used economic pressure and political influence in order to control regions without it being considered colonization. Minor Keith's business activities in Central America is referred to as "American colonialism" in the podcast because they amounted to a classic example of colonialism without governmental control. Keith bought property, built an infrastructure, and had a huge amount of power over the governments of places like Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras, rendering them de facto economic dependencies of United Fruit Company.
He was granted land concessions, controlled major transportation arteries, and ruled local politics, holding these nations in a state of subordination to American business interests. This economic control was deeply reminiscent of colonialism in that it subjected the indigenous economy and labor to the heel of United States corporate greed at the expense of national sovereignty. To place Minor Keith's adventures on par with federal intervention in the Pacific, alike and unlike stand side by side. Keith's control of states in Central America was achieved via corporate imperialism and economic coercion, while federal intervention in the Philippines and Hawaii were direct military occupation and annexation in character. While the U.S. government sought strategic military bases and trade routes, the United Fruit Company of Keith sought them largely for profits. Both, however, were imperialist moves—either through economic domination or outright sovereignty—announcing U.S. preeminence in international affairs. Keith's commercial empire was an unofficial instrument of U.S. imperialism, demonstrating that economic power could be as powerful as military power in subordinating foreign lands.
Sources
RUND, ABDELFATAH, and ARABLOUEI RAMTIN. “There Will Be Bananas.” Throughline : NPR, NPR, 9 Jan. 2020, www.npr.org/transcripts/794302086.
“The United States Becomes a World Power.” Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3158. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
He was granted land concessions, controlled major transportation arteries, and ruled local politics, holding these nations in a state of subordination to American business interests. This economic control was deeply reminiscent of colonialism in that it subjected the indigenous economy and labor to the heel of United States corporate greed at the expense of national sovereignty. To place Minor Keith's adventures on par with federal intervention in the Pacific, alike and unlike stand side by side. Keith's control of states in Central America was achieved via corporate imperialism and economic coercion, while federal intervention in the Philippines and Hawaii were direct military occupation and annexation in character. While the U.S. government sought strategic military bases and trade routes, the United Fruit Company of Keith sought them largely for profits. Both, however, were imperialist moves—either through economic domination or outright sovereignty—announcing U.S. preeminence in international affairs. Keith's commercial empire was an unofficial instrument of U.S. imperialism, demonstrating that economic power could be as powerful as military power in subordinating foreign lands.
Sources
RUND, ABDELFATAH, and ARABLOUEI RAMTIN. “There Will Be Bananas.” Throughline : NPR, NPR, 9 Jan. 2020, www.npr.org/transcripts/794302086.
“The United States Becomes a World Power.” Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3158. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.