By Richard Bodien – independent scholar, poet, and painter living in Hāwī, Hawaiʻi

Hawai‘i for Sale—But Not to Hawaiians
For many, Hawai‘i represents paradise—pristine beaches, lush landscapes, and a culture built on aloha. But for corporations and the military-industrial complex, Hawai‘i represents something else entirely: a goldmine to be exploited.

Over the past century, Hawai‘i has transformed from a self-sufficient island kingdom into a corporate playground where profits come first, and local communities come last. The military, multinational corporations, and big tourism have quietly consolidated economic power, pushing out small businesses, pricing locals out of their homes, and turning what was once a thriving Indigenous economy into a service industry built to cater to outsiders.

While Native Hawaiians and longtime residents struggle to survive in their own homeland, corporations and the U.S. military tighten their grip, ensuring that Hawai‘i remains a paradise for the wealthy and a battleground for profit.

So how did we get here? And more importantly—how do we take Hawai‘i back?

Corporate Takeover: From Salvation to Vacations
The exploitation of Hawai‘i’s economy did not happen overnight. It began in the 1800s, when sugar and pineapple barons—many of them descendants of Christian missionaries—seized Native Hawaiian land and converted it into private plantations.

Hawaiian communal land was broken apart through the Great Mahele (1848), allowing corporations to buy massive plots.
Sugar and pineapple dominated the economy, turning local workers into low-wage laborers.
The U.S. illegally overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, with business elites leading the charge.

Fast forward to today, and the methods have changed—but the game remains the same. Now, instead of sugar barons, we have hotel chains, hedge funds, defense contractors, and real estate speculators dictating the rules of Hawai‘i’s economy.

Small Businesses Die
The modern Hawaiian economy is not built for locals—it’s built for corporations. Tourism Giants Dominate the Market. Over 80% of Hawai‘i’s GDP is tied to tourism, but local businesses see little of that wealth. International hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton control beachfront real estate, pushing out local hotels and family-run inns. Corporate developers drive up property values, making it nearly impossible for local businesses to afford rent.

Hawaiians are forced to serve the tourist industry, not participate in it. Small business owners who have operated for generations are slowly disappearing, replaced by luxury resorts, corporate-owned restaurants, and chain retailers that funnel profits out of Hawai‘i and into mainland bank accounts.

Real Estate Takes Over
Investment firms and billionaires buy up homes and convert them into Airbnbs, reducing housing availability for locals. Gentrification, fueled by real estate speculation, forces Native Hawaiian families to leave. Developers lobby against rent control and affordable housing policies, ensuring that real estate remains profitable for investors, not for residents.

With average home prices now averaging over $1,000,000, working-class Hawaiians are being systematically priced out of their own homeland. Meanwhile, corporations and wealthy elites buy, sell, and profit from the land as if it were a commodity, not a cultural inheritance.

The Military’s Economic Dominance
While corporations control much of Hawai‘i’s economy, the U.S. military remains the single largest landholder and economic force in the islands. With nearly 25% of O‘ahu alone under military control, the Pentagon exerts quiet but overwhelming influence over local policies, land use, and labor markets.

The military is Hawai‘i’s second-largest employer, providing over 60,000 jobs—but at the cost of economic dependency. Military contractors, not local businesses, receive the bulk of defense-related spending. Land that could be used for affordable housing or sustainable development remains locked under military control.

And then there’s environmental destruction. The U.S. military’s presence in Hawai‘i has come at a devastating cost. The Red Hill fuel leak contaminated O‘ahu’s water supply, poisoning local families.

Live-fire training exercises have scarred landscapes like Pōhakuloa and Kaho‘olawe, rendering them uninhabitable. Toxic waste from military installations threatens ecosystems, yet accountability remains elusive.

Instead of investing in local industry, education, or sustainability, Hawai‘i has been positioned as America’s “strategic outpost” in the Pacific, with little regard for the well-being of its people.

The Human Cost
What does all this mean for the people who actually live in Hawai’i? Hawai‘i is now one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S., yet wages remain low. Hawaiians are expected to serve the wealthy, not build wealth themselves. The very people who built and nurtured these lands are being pushed out in favor of tourism, military interests, and wealthy investors.

This isn’t just economic injustice—it’s colonialism.

Taking Back Hawai’i—Economic Sovereignty
Hawai‘i does not have to remain a corporate and military playground. Change is possible—but it requires shifting power back to the people.

Reclaiming Land and Housing
Implement strict regulations on foreign and corporate real estate ownership.

Expand Native Hawaiian land trusts to restore communal stewardship of land.

Crack down on Airbnb and luxury developments that cater to the wealthy at the expense of locals.

Breaking Tourism Dependency
Invest in sustainable, locally-driven industries such as regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and technology.

Shift tourism profits back into local communities, rather than corporate pockets.

Impose higher taxes on multinational hotel chains and reinvest in public infrastructure.

Holding the Military Accountable
Demand land return from the U.S. military, especially for housing and conservation.

Require military environmental cleanup before further land use.

Diversify Hawai‘i’s economy so it is not dependent on defense spending.

Strengthening Small Businesses and Local Ownership
Provide subsidies and tax incentives for local businesses, not multinational chains.

Protect Hawaiian cultural and traditional industries from corporate exploitation.

Establish worker-owned cooperatives to create community wealth instead of corporate wealth.

Who Controls Hawai‘i’s Future?

For too long, corporations and the military have dictated Hawai‘i’s economy, deciding who gets to live here, who gets to own land, and who gets to profit. But their vision is clear: Hawai‘i as a high-end tourist resort, a military staging ground, and a billionaire’s playground—while everyday residents struggle to make ends meet.

But Hawai‘i should belong to its people, not to hotel chains, Wall Street investors, or the Pentagon. The question is, how long will we allow them to take from us before we take back control?

By Richard Bodien – independent scholar, poet, and painter living in Hāwī, Hawaiʻi. You can find his political writings at http://www.bodien.com/essays

Here’s a link to an accompanying essay. https://bodien.com/essays/f/hawai%CA%BBi%E2%80%99s-future-depends-on-small-business

And another: https://bodien.com/essays/f/why-i-love-bourgeois-capitalism-and-hate-corporate-capitalism