Ruling America's Colonies: The Insular Cases

A colony is "a territory, subordinate in various ways-political, cultural, or economic-to a more developed country. Supreme legislative power and much of the administration rest[s] with the controlling country, which [is] usually of a different ethnic group from the colony." That the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico falls squarely within this definition-and is thus a colonial one-cannot seriously be questioned.'