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You are here: Home / History / What was Operation Bootstrap and How did Operation Bootstrap help reduce poverty in Puerto Rico?

What was Operation Bootstrap and How did Operation Bootstrap help reduce poverty in Puerto Rico?

February 29, 2020 by Karen Hill

Led by Governor Munoz in the 1950s, Operation Bootstrap was an economic program aimed at relieving Puerto Rico’s poverty.

Recalling the old expression “lifting oneself up by the bootstraps,” the program sought to build a modern industrial base for a country that had long been agricultural.

The program encouraged U.S. manufacturing firms to set up operations in Puerto Rico. Businesses that did so were rewarded with exemption from various federal taxes.

As a result of Bootstrap and other programs, Puerto Rico has become highly industrialized. Most of its people are now city dwellers working in manufacturing and service industries. Pharmaceutical companies and the tourism business are among the largest employers.

Only 3 percent of Puerto Ricans on the island still work in agriculture.

Related Facts

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  • How many Islands does Puerto Rico have and What is the Capital of Puerto Rico?
  • Where Is Puerto Rico Located, How Many People Live There, and Is Puerto Rico Part of the United States?
  • Why did Spain want to keep Puerto Rico before it was ceded to the U.S.?
  • Who was the first Puerto Rican elected to govern Puerto Rico in 1946?
  • What does Puerto Rico mean in Spanish and How did San Juan get its name?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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