Puerto Rico in the American Century : A History Since 1898

Offering a comprehensive overview of Puerto Rico's history and evolution since the installation of U.S. rule, Cesar Ayala and Rafael Bernabe connect the island's economic, political, cultural, and social past. "Puerto Rico in the American Century" explores Puerto Ricans in the diaspora as well as the island residents, who experience an unusual and daily conundrum: they consider themselves a distinct people but are part of the American political system; they have U.S. citizenship but are not represented in the U.S. Congress; and they live on land that is neither independent nor part of the United States. Highlighting both well-known and forgotten figures from Puerto Rican history, Ayala and Bernabe discuss a wide range of topics, including literary and cultural debates and social and labor struggles that previous histories have neglected. Although the island's political economy remains dependent on the United States, the authors also discuss Puerto Rico's situation in light of world economies. Ayala and Bernabe argue that the inability of Puerto Rico to shake its colonial legacy reveals the limits of free-market capitalism, a break from which would require a renewal of the long tradition of labor and social activism in Puerto Rico in connection with similar currents in the United States. Offering A Comprehensive Overview Of Puerto Rico's History And Evolution Since The Installation Of U.s. Rule, Cesar Ayala And Rafael Bernabe Connect The Island's Economic, Political, Cultural, And Social Past. Puerto Rico In The American Century Explores The History Of Puerto Ricans In The Diaspora As Well As The Island Residents, Who Experience An Unusual And Daily Conundrum: They Consider Themselves A Distinct People But Are Part Of The American Political System; They Have U.s. Citizenship But Are Not Represented In The U.s. Congress; And They Live On An Island That Is Neither Independent Nor Part Of The United States. Highlighting Both Well-known And Forgotten Figures From Puerto Rican History, Ayala And Bernabe Discuss A Wide Range Of Topics, Including Literary And Cultural Debates And Social And Labor Struggles That Previous Histories Have Neglected.--publisher Description. 1898 -- Background And Immediate Consequences -- Reshaping Puerto Rico's Economy, 1898-1934 -- Political And Social Struggles In A New Colonial Context, 1900-1930 -- Americanization And Its Discontents, 1898-1929 -- Economic Depression And Political Crisis: The Turbulent Thirties -- Cultural Debates In An Epoch Of Crisis: National Interpretations In The Thirties -- Turning Point In The Forties: Rise Of The Partido Popular Democrático -- Birth Of The Estado Libre Asociado -- Transformation And Relocation: Puerto Rico's Operation Bootstrap -- Politics And Culture In The Epoch Of Ppd Hegemony -- Ppd Hegemony Undermined: From Mobilization To Recession, 1960-1975 -- Rethinking The Past, Betting On The Future: Cultural Debates From The Sixties To The Eighties -- Economic Stagnation And Political Deadlock, 1976-1992 -- Politics And Social Conflict In The Epoch Of Neoliberalism, 1992-2004 -- Neonationalism, Postmodernism, And Other Debates. César J. Ayala And Rafael Bernabé. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [383]-397) And Index. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Abbreviations......Page 16 Introduction......Page 20 ONE: 1898—Background and Immediate Consequences......Page 33 TWO: Reshaping Puerto Rico's Economy, 1898–1934......Page 52 THREE: Political and Social Struggles in a New Colonial Context, 1900–1930......Page 71 FOUR: Americanization and Its Discontents, 1898–1929......Page 93 FIVE: Economic Depression and Political Crisis: The Turbulent Thirties......Page 114 SIX: Cultural Debates in an Epoch of Crisis: National Interpretations in the Thirties......Page 136 SEVEN: Turning Point in the Forties: Rise of the Partido Popular Democrático......Page 155 EIGHT: Birth of the Estado Libre Asociado......Page 181 NINE: Transformation and Relocation: Puerto Rico's Operation Bootstrap......Page 198 TEN: Politics and Culture in the Epoch of PPD Hegemony......Page 220 ELEVEN: PPD Hegemony Undermined: From Mobilization to Recession, 1960–1975......Page 242 TWELVE: Rethinking the Past, Betting on the Future: Cultural Debates from the Sixties to the Eighties......Page 266 THIRTEEN: Economic Stagnation and Political Deadlock, 1976–1992......Page 286 FOURTEEN: Politics and Social Conflict in the Epoch of Neoliberalism, 1992–2004......Page 310 FIFTEEN: Neonationalism, Postmodernism, and Other Debates......Page 335 Conclusion......Page 354 Notes......Page 362 Bibliographical Essay......Page 402 A......Page 418 B......Page 420 C......Page 421 D......Page 423 E......Page 424 F......Page 425 G......Page 427 I......Page 428 J......Page 429 L......Page 430 M......Page 431 N......Page 433 O......Page 434 P......Page 435 R......Page 440 S......Page 441 U......Page 444 V......Page 445 W......Page 446 Z......Page 447 Offering a comprehensive overview of Puerto Rico's history and evolution since the installation of U.S. rule, César Ayala and Rafael Bernabe connect the island's economic, political, cultural, and social past. "Puerto Rico in the American Century" explores Puerto Ricans in the diaspora as well as the island residents, who experience an unusual and daily conundrum: they consider themselves a distinct people but are part of the American political system; they have U.S. citizenship but are not represented in the U.S. Congress; and they live on land that is neither independent nor part of the United States. Highlighting both well-known and forgotten figures from Puerto Rican history, Ayala and Bernabe discuss a wide range of topics, including literary and cultural debates and social and labor struggles that previous histories have neglected. Although the island's political economy remains dependent on the United States, the authors also discuss Puerto Rico's situation in light of world economies. Ayala and Bernabe argue that the inability of Puerto Rico to shake its colonial legacy reveals the limits of free-market capitalism, a break from which would require a renewal of the long tradition of labor and social activism in Puerto Rico in connection with similar currents in the United States

Offering a comprehensive overview of Puerto Rico's history and evolution since the installation of U.S. rule, Ayala and Bernabe connect the island's economic, political, cultural, and social past of residents of the island as well as the many Puerto Ricans in the diaspora. The authors discuss a wide range of topics, including literary and cultural debates and social and labor struggles that previous histories have neglected. Ayala and Bernabe argue that the inability of Puerto Rico to shake its colonial legacy reveals the limits of free-market capitalism.