Banana republic

The phrase banana republic was coined (ca. 1904) by the American writer O. Henry (William Sydney Porter, 1862–1910).

United States shown in blue, where United Fruit Company was based. The countries shown in red are some examples of "banana republics" (Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama) where the United Fruit Company held considerable influence.

A banana republic is a politically unstable country whose economy depends on the export of one product in limited supply, such as agricultural products like bananas or minerals. A banana republic has social classes that are divided by wealth. These include a large, poor working class and a small ruling class (elite) made up of the businessmen, politicians, and the military.^[1] The ruling class controls and exploits the country's economy.^[2]

Characteristics of a Banana Republic

The way the phrase banana republic is used has evolved since it was introduced more than a century ago. It is no longer limited to countries in Central America or the tropics. Key characteristics of a banana republic in the modern world include:

Widespread government corruption
Tyrannical government
Unstable government
Civil unrest
Coup attempts/insurgency
Economic dependency on exporting a limited natural resource (which may or may not be bananas)
Infrastructure owned/supported by out-of-country interests
Overall economic dependency on foreign investment or business entities
Widespread poverty
Significant stratification of social classes
Enormous gap between the haves and have nots
Lack of a middle class

Examples of Banana Republics

In the modern world, whether or not a country could accurately be described as a banana republic government is a matter of opinion. A number of countries have been described as banana republics at some point.

● The United States

A country that at some point might exhibit all of the characteristics of a banana republic could change, which would mean that the term would no longer apply. The fact that someone refers to a country as a banana republic does not mean that the country really is one. The phrase is a derogatory description rather than an actual type of government.

Banana Republic Media

Cover of Cabbages and Kings (1904 edition)
Minor C. Keith, American banana planter and businessman
In 1912, for the Cuyamel Fruit Company, American mercenary "general" Lee Christmas overthrew the civil government of Honduras to install a military government friendly to foreign businesses.
Global banana exports by region
Chiquita bananas.
Women cleaning Cavendish bananas for packaging at a plantation in Ecuador (from which most of America's bananas are imported)
Percentage of global banana imports by region
Banana stalk infected with Fusarium Wilt
In his poem "La United Fruit Co.", Pablo Neruda denounced the corporate subjugation of underdeveloped Americas.