Annexation as Development Policy

The piece contends that keeping annexed territories would have delivered stronger growth, freer internal trade and migration, and more legitimate governance than granting independence. It claims public acceptance of today’s retained territories implies additional 1918-era holdings would also be accepted now, and notes domestic U.S. protectionists and nativists helped push independence (e.g., Philippine sugar and immigration fears). — It reframes empire debates by treating national integration as a scalable mechanism for exporting institutions, free movement, and stability—challenging the assumption that decolonization reliably improves outcomes.