학술논문

Reviving the Language Debate
Document Type
Chapter
Author
Source
The Politics of Language in Puerto Rico: Revisited, 2020.
Subject
History of the Americas
Bilingual
PIP
PNP
PDP
Congress
Downsian
commonwealth
election
Rational political behavior
statehood
Language
English
Abstract
This chapter examines early attempts to overturn the 1902 official bilingual law. The PIP passionately favored such a move, but with few legislative seats any change in language policy would be up to the two larger parties. Concerned that Congress might disapprove of a statehood applicant jettisoning English as an official language, the pro-statehood PNP had no interest in changing this law. That left the matter completely up to the PPD. During the 1970s and 1980s a few PPD lawmakers proposed bills, but in keeping with a classic Downsian vote-maximizing strategy the party’s leadership consistently rejected the idea. With an eye on the next election, the PPD’s behavior was consistent with standard models of rational political behavior.

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