Banana republic facts for kids

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

A banana republic is a politically unstable country whose economy depends on the export of one product in limited supply, such as 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 made up of the businessmen, politicians, and the military. The ruling class controls and exploits the country's economy.

Related pages

• Puppet state

Images for kids

• 

  Cover of Cabbages and Kings (1904 edition).

• 

  The banana planter Minor C. Keith, American businessman.

• 

  In 1912, for the Cuyamel Fruit Company, the American mercenary "general" Lee Christmas overthrew the civil government of Honduras to install a military government friendly to foreign business.

• 

  Honduras, the quintessential banana republic.

• 

  Chiquita bananas

• 

  With the poem "La United Fruit Co.", Pablo Neruda denounced the corporate subjugation of Latin America.

See also

In Spanish: República bananera para niños