THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATEHOOD MOVEMENT IN PUERTO RICO. (VOLUMES I AND II).
Item
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Title
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATEHOOD MOVEMENT IN PUERTO RICO. (VOLUMES I AND II).
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Identifier
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AAI8601675
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identifier
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8601675
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Creator
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MELENDEZ, EDGARDO.
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Contributor
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Irving L. Markovitz
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Date
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1985
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Political Science, General
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Abstract
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This dissertation analyzes the evolution and character of the statehood movement in Puerto Rico from the nineteenth century to the present. It is argued that the nature and evolution of the statehood movement has to be understood within the framework of the dominant socio-economic and political structures in Puerto Rico and in the context of the conflicts between different social classes and groups. Pro-annexationist tendencies in Puerto Rico emerged in the late nineteenth century, as a reaction to Spanish economic and political colonial structures; pro-annexationist forces played an important role in the consolidation of the U.S. regime in Puerto Rico. The imposition of the colonial regime by the U.S. and the expansion of capitalism under the hegemony of U.S. capital, and the transformation of the class structure, determined the organization and program of the statehood movement in the early decades of the century. The latter, in turn, became the strongest supporter of the U.S. regime in Puerto Rico. The crisis of annexationism, during the thirties and forties, was the result of increased class conflict, the collapse of the sugar economy, and the instability of the colonial regime. From the 1950's to the mid-1960's, the statehood movement experienced a period of transition. It is argued that the rise of a new leadership with a new statehood program and the increase in popular support led to the formation of the New Progressive Party and the electoral victory in 1968. The administration of Luis Ferre tried to implement the program of the local industrial bourgeoisie, seeking social, economic, and political stability through reforms and statehood. Statehood became a viable alternative during the 1970's, both in Puerto Rico and in the United States, due to the economic and political crisis of the Commonwealth and the increased presence of the federal government in the island. Within this context, the NPP government of Carlos Romero Barcelo presented a radical program to attain statehood. His government's economic policies (tax reform, new incentives to U.S. capital, linkages to other Caribbean economies) and his "Statehood now" campaign were aimed at this goal.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Political Science
