Colonization without a Colony

Nominal Philippine Independence and the American Empire

Abstract

In 1946, the United States granted the Philippines independence, but Filipino independence was ultimately illusory. The United States never left the Philippines and maintained its presence in the archipelagic nation. The American foothold was retained through unbalanced military agreements and support for Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s dictatorial regime. When the Cold War ended, the United States-Philippines relationship saw stagnation but saw a resurgence during the Global War on Terror and the United States’ increasing geostrategic competition with China. Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s attempted decoupling, the alliance persisted and under Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the alliance has reached new heights. Altogether, these developments serve as a reminder that although formal colonization has largely dissipated from the international stage, it persists in a more subtle form. Ultimately, the Philippines were liberated by the United States only to return to its imperial grasp.