ABSTRACT
The completion of the Panama Canal in 1914 symbolized the might of the United States, and Panama was vital to US strategic plans during and after World War II. After taking control of the Panama Canal in 1999 and following the canal's expansion in 2016, Panama hopes to continue to play an important role in world commerce well into the twenty-first century. The common understanding is that Panama's independence from Colombia in 1903 was the product of US geopolitical machinations. Panama's political culture is susceptible to the rise of business leaders, particularly those engaged in commerce. Panama's economic development is intimately linked to the Panama Canal. The country was born as a result of the dispute around which superpower would gain the right to build the interoceanic waterway. For Panama's elite the building of the canal was the culmination of their dream to postion the country at the heart of the global economic system.
