Is the United States of America a Banana Republic?

VivaRevolution said:
To be fair though, the Trump supporters are the worst example of this. They think because Trump makes allot of noise he is not controlled opposition. They are absurdly wrong. How could someone who is corrupt, not be controlled opposition?
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<TrumpWrong1>


If anything, trumps election has shown that the military is running the show.
 
VivaRevolution said:
Ok. Point conceded.


I concede only what I already had. That the US does not have the history of authoritarian rule Cuba has. That is why they can censor and use force to control speech.

In the US it must be done in a more subtle manor, but have no doubt that if your voice gets loud enough to draw attention, and you are saying the wrong thing, soft power will be brought to bare to silence you in the US.

You are arguing Cuba is more authoritarian. I don't disagree, but that is different then corrupt.
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The question is ‘Is the US a Banana Republic?’ Correct? I had the misfortune of being born into what comes to mind when someone mentions banana republic (Central America, Cuba etc). So I took the time to say that there is no comparison. I don’t believe I’m arguing that Cuba is more authoritarian....Cuba is communist (the fake kind according to some, I can’t imagine the real kind) so there’s no point arguing that. I’m simply saying that the term US and banana republic uttered together is wrong for me

I’m not saying corruption doesn’t exist, but no where near the levels of a banana republic. Soft power? Hehe that made me chuckle
 
i bought pants form banana republic
did you know they do old navy gap and banana republic
that means you're buying old banana gap clothes
 
JonnyRingo84 said:
isnt one key characteristic of a banana republic that your country relies heavily on one export commodity? eg..........bananas. rubber. oil.

so no. thats not us.

and im not sure that our media is propaganda. i think its just for-profit media focused on giving consumers what they want.
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Gandhi said:
These terms need to be defined and contrasted in a comparative political framework to have any meaning at all.

Was the US always a banana republic, if not what characteristic made it not one that it lacks now? What country today is / is not a BR? How about historically?

I would think this is hyperbole, 2 years of trump does not equal a BR and if we were one before that then it’s probably a meaningless term.
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Ok, would we agree corruption is the defining characteristic of a banana republic?

So on a corruption scale, of 1-10, let's call Canada a 1, and Mexico a 10.

I say the US lands at about a 7 today. I think we were a 1 in the 1950's. Maybe a 5 by Vietnam. FYI, that means I think it is more corrupt today, then the days of MKultra, and Cointel Pro.
 
Sohei said:
From wiki:

Typically, a banana republic has a society of stratified social classes, usually a large impoverished working class and a ruling-class plutocracy, composed of the business, political and military elites of that society.[1] Such a ruling-class oligarchy control the primary sector of the economy by way of the exploitation of labour

In economics, a banana republic is a country with an economy of state capitalism, by which economic model the country is operated as a private commercial enterprise for the exclusive profitof the ruling class. Such exploitation is effected by collusion between the State and favoured economic monopolies, in which the profit, derived from the private exploitation of public lands, is private property, while the debts incurred thereby are the financial responsibility of the public treasury.

These descriptors do seem to accurately describe Murka.

Murka is definitely not a first-world country as we recognize the term today. I think it has more in common with Brazil than it does with Germany.
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I sorta agree. Idk what the most apt descriptor would be but I'll be the first to admit we're slipping closer to countries like Brazil or Russia and falling further from countries like Japan, Germany, Australia etc.

Unfortunately, blind and fervent nationalism overshadows the ills that plague us.

Introspection is the first step necessary for any individual or society to overcome its problems. We shun such methods.
 
VivaRevolution said:
I will now list the reasons for why I believe the good ol' USA is today clearly a banana republic.

First and foremost, we are corrupt. We all know this. No sane person would deny it. Laws and policy are for sale to the highest bidder. Power grants immunity to the rule of law. Money buys legislation.

Our media is propaganda. Whether we are talking white helmets, or more subtle propaganda in what is not said, and the story not told, our media has become the equivalent of Baghdad Bob screaming there are no tanks in Baghdad.

I would be happy to give specific examples to support each of these claims for those interested in honest discourse and debate.

I will also be happy to mock and anger troll those who are not.

Discuss......
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic

By Wiki's definition, what is the one export we rely on to keep economy going?
 
I love America and its people, except for those in the administrations that come and go every fourth and eight year.

I do think the partisanship should end and that the people should unite on issues like corporatism, corruption and geopolitical special interests that are killing thousands of innocent people around the globe. When you have sorted that out, then you can go back and fight over trannies in bathrooms.
 
The banana part is really important if you're going to call something a banana republic. The US doesn't have limited exports, we're very diverse. And the exploitation of labor here is simply incomparable to banana republics. It's an insult to workers who experience real third world conditions and have no options.
 
From what I just look up and read no you are not. But you have been I think oligarchy ruled country for long time. Tons of money in politics does not help.
 
Really Banana republics get abused big time by more powerful nations and their leaders sell out to foreign power so that their resources can be extracted at low cost by the more powerful nation.


Have you lived in a banana republic for like a few years? Maybe you should visit me one of this days I will feed you bananas.

And yes we really have lots of bananas here.
 
Seaside said:
From what I just look up and read no you are not. But you have been I think oligarchy ruled country for long time. Tons of money in politics does not help.
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What about a Potato republic?
 
VivaRevolution said:
Ok. Point conceded.


I concede only what I already had. That the US does not have the history of authoritarian rule Cuba has. That is why they can censor and use force to control speech.

In the US it must be done in a more subtle manor, but have no doubt that if your voice gets loud enough to draw attention, and you are saying the wrong thing, soft power will be brought to bare to silence you in the US.

You are arguing Cuba is more authoritarian. I don't disagree, but that is different then corrupt.
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Based on that discription, would not the EU be a federation of banana republics?
 
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VivaRevolution said:
Some. Would you not agree many Eastern block countries qualify, and Italy for sure?
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Depends. Which ones have economies that are predominantly dependent on one export and have little or no workers' rights?
 
Rematch said:
Depends. Which ones have economies that are predominantly dependent on one export and have little or no workers' rights?
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Hmmmm. Good point on worker treatment for Europe, especially Italy.

The systemic profiteering from illegals allows the US not to be excluded on these grounds.
 
VivaRevolution said:
Hmmmm. Good point on worker treatment for Europe, especially Italy.

The systemic profiteering from illegals allows the US not to be excluded on these grounds.
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That profiteering is criminal that underminds the rights provided under the legal framework. Is that criminal activity endorsed by the US government? Sure, one can argue a benefit that the nation has received from such exploitation, but is it endorsed?
 
Gandhi said:
These terms need to be defined and contrasted in a comparative political framework to have any meaning at all.

Was the US always a banana republic, if not what characteristic made it not one that it lacks now? What country today is / is not a BR? How about historically?

I would think this is hyperbole, 2 years of trump does not equal a BR and if we were one before that then it’s probably a meaningless term.
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Yeah, @VivaRevolution, what, specifically, is the question? If you're just asking if we have some level of corruption and if the media can be better, sure. Obviously we don't fit what people generally mean when they use the term.
 
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