s formal colonies, faces a sort of embarrassment factor with respect to colonial administration. Domestic critics of the government in office can always point to corrupt or oppressive colonial policies as at least falling short of proclaimed national ideals. It may even offer the more sinister proposal that harsh colonial rule reflects the incumbent administration's real political values and longterm domestic agenda.
If, however, the colonies are nominally independent, the metropolitan government need take far less moral responsibility for conditions there. These conditions can be attributed to the social or even racial shortcomings of the natives, who are incapable of democratic selfrule, but are nevertheless permitted a restricted sort of independence. Through use of arguments of this sort, the US government was able through the 20th century to maintain effective control through most of Caribbean region and Central America, while largely escaping American domestic accountability for their political and economic regimes.
The American situation with respect
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