Fantasy island : colonialism, exploitation, and the betrayal of Puerto Rico /
Since its acquisition by the United States in 1898, Puerto Rico has served as a testing ground for the most aggressive and exploitative US economic, political and social policies. The devastation that ensued finally grew impossible to ignore in 2017, in the wake of Hurricane María, as the physical d...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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New York :
Bold Type Books,
[2019]
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| Edition: | First edition. |
| Subjects: |
| Summary: | Since its acquisition by the United States in 1898, Puerto Rico has served as a testing ground for the most aggressive and exploitative US economic, political and social policies. The devastation that ensued finally grew impossible to ignore in 2017, in the wake of Hurricane María, as the physical destruction compounded the infrastructure collapse and trauma inflicted by the debt crisis. In Fantasy Island, Ed Morales traces how, over the years, Puerto Rico has served as a colonial satellite, a Cold War Caribbean showcase, a dumping ground for US manufactured goods and a corporate tax shelter. He also shows how it has become a blank canvas for mercenary experiments in disaster capitalism on the frontlines of climate change, hamstrung by internal political corruption and the US federal government's prioritization of outside financial interests. Taking readers from San Juan to New York City and back to his family's home in the Luquillo Mountains, Morales shows us the machinations of financial and political interests in both the United States and Puerto Rico, and the resistance efforts of Puerto Rican artists and activists. Through it all, he emphasizes that the only way to stop Puerto Rico from being bled is to let Puerto Ricans take control of their own destiny, going beyond the statehood-commonwealth-independence debate to complete decolonization. |
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| Physical Description: | vii, 344 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 1568588992 9781568588995 |