The Beginning of my Research
From 1898-1902, two caribbean islands were forced to become a part of the dominating United States. Since then Puerto Rico and Cuba have dealt with that situation differently, they are two very different places that went on two different paths. Each path had a varying effect on each country that either helped them or hindered them. In Puerto Rico’s case, as the country’s economy fell, it grew a dependency on a stronger country. Cuba, however, chose a path that has allowed the country to become separate from neighboring countries and more individualistic. What allowed these countries that were once under the same control to follow in two separate paths? Puerto Rico became a commonwealth of the United States, while Cuba turned to communism in order to distinguish themselves from the capitalist system associated with the U.S. The motives behind why Cuba and Puerto Rico decided to follow these paths are a result of how each of these countries would benefit more from their actions, but what caused these outcomes to occur and which country benefitted the most?
When it comes to Cuba, its involvement with the United States can be traced back to the year 1884, when the United States first took interest in the country by investing into the island after an international sugar price crisis. The capital investment made by the U.S. allowed for the country’s sugar industry to become modernized and consolidated, allowing Cuba to become one of the largest sugar exporters in the world. Not only was the United States interested in Cuba’s sugar, it was also occupying the country. Due to this occupation, both economies became even closer through the use of U.S. military governors who created laws that allowed for the U.S. companies to have “concessionary access to the Cuban market”. However, this involvement by the United States in Cuba called for the people to want their independence from the country. Cubans have fought and gained their independence on May 20th, 1902 from Spain, only to be claimed as a territory by the United States for almost six decades. The start of the revolution in 1959 refers Cuba’s first step to gaining complete independence. However, to ensure that the country could maintain their independence, Cuba was not able to revolt alone. Cuba found an ally in the Soviet Union, who were at the time equally as powerful as the United States, and in return the Soviet Union influenced Cuba to adopt a communist form of government into their society.
Like Cuba, Puerto Rico became an attractive investment for the United States because of the island’s sugar productions. The United States’ investment into Puerto Rico allowed it to shape the country’s economy and due to this, it is still tightly connected to the United States’ economy. Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States from Spain as a territory after the Spanish-American War in 1898. In keeping Puerto Rico, the U.S. immediately went to work by “Americanizing” the island by bringing over the language, institutions, and political systems. While the United States first investment was sugar productions, they have altered Puerto Rico’s economy and manufacturing to offer multiple exports that are mainly imported to the United States. However, a huge issue that Puerto Ricans had with the United States is how vague they were with what was going to happen with Puerto Rico’s political future. As time progressed, though, Puerto Rico has been granted more and more political rights by the United States. In 1952, Puerto Rico was upgraded, in a sense, from a territory to a commonwealth, allowing the citizens of Puerto Rico to have more access to the country and selective benefits; while still not being able to have all the political power in the government as a state.
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