"Indeed, the needs of the core led it to undermine the sovereignty and
development of the host in order to meet its own needs. "

                                                       -Thomas Schoonover, chapter one 

ÝÝÝÝ Schoonover and Langley describe the concept of social imperialism as

the relationship between two types of countries. On one hand, there are

"core" industrial nations and countries of the world. These countries,

as explained, have expanded through their history sought out foreign markets,

investment opportunities and sources of raw materials that would benefit themselves.

In The Banana Men, it is noted that little of this was done with regard of the foreign

country's interests. Schoonover and Langley call these foreign nations the "periphery".

ÝÝÝÝÝ In The Banana Men, Schoonover and Langley describe how Ýa social imperialism

affected not only the economy of the peripheral nation, but its social and political life as

well.Ý Counties of the "Core" like the US and the European nations before it often used

force to create a suitable environoment for their needs, they often found it more expedient

to operate through a "found it necessary" to work with the upper class in that given country.

In the banana men, those people are represented by the pro American traders like Manuel

Bonilla, and Juan Estrada.