Bananas : how the United Fruit Company shaped the world / Peter Chapman

Object Details

Author

Chapman, Peter

Subject

United Fruit Company History

United Fruit Company Corrupt practices

Originally published as: Jungle capitalists.

Map on lining papers.

Contents

From the memory of men -- Lament for a dying fruit -- Roots of empire -- Monopoly -- The banana man -- Taming the enclave -- Banana republics -- On the inside -- Coup -- 'Betrayal' -- Decline and fall -- Old and dark forces -- Epilogue: United fruit world

Summary

In this exploration of corporate maneuvering and subterfuge, journalist Chapman shows how the importer United Fruit set the precedent for the institutionalized power and influence of today's multinational companies. This infamous company was arguably the most controversial global corporation ever--from the jungles of Costa Rica to the dramatic suicide of its CEO, who leapt from an office on the 44th floor of the Pan Am building in New York City. From the marketing of the banana as the first fast food, to the company's involvement in an invasion of Honduras, the Bay of Pigs crisis, and a bloody coup in Guatemala, Chapman weaves a tale of big business, political deceit, and outright violence to show how one company wreaked havoc in the "banana republics" of Central America, and how terrifyingly similar the age of United Fruit is to our age of rapid globalization.--From publisher description.

2007

C2007

1951-1979

Type

Books

Physical description

xv, 224 p. : map ; 21 cm

Place

Central America

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

Banana trade--History

Bananas--Social aspects

International business enterprises--Corrupt practices

History

Record ID

siris_sil_840496

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0