Caribbean Studies Topic: Movement Towards Independence The socio, economic and political context of the Post Emancipated

British Caribbean Social conditions after slavery Slavery ended but there was no true sense of freedom for the ex- slaves. Many of the ex- slaves struggled to create a livelihood for themselves due to pervasive colonial oppression. The society was highly stratified with very little opportunity for blacks to improve their social status. Education on the other hand was only given to the privileged white, upper middle class whites and coloured. lacks were given basic skills in education which could not improve their status in society. Many !hildren attended school irregularly and for only a few years, as their parents could not afford school fees and lunch money. Many also lived and worked in s"ualid conditions which led to the spread of diseases thus leading to high mortality rates.

Economic Difficulties Economically, most blacks struggled to make a living from peasantry and huckstering due to colonial oppression. The economic difficulties in the #$ were caused by the decline of the sugar industry and the failure of most of the alternative crops to provide satisfactory substitutes by %&'(. )ater in the %&*+s and ,+s the -reat .epression caused a #all Street !rash %&'& which led to the economic woes of the !aribbean.

Political Conditions After Slavery /irstly, blacks had limited opportunity to vote and own property which contributed to much of the hardships faced in the first half of the %&th century. /or example, in order for blacks 0men1 to vote they had to have %+ 2 *+ shillings in %&+34 women were not given franchise in %&%& but only to those who were aged '(, literate and paying ' pounds a year in land tax. $n places such as Trinidad, there was no elected element in the colony5s government throughout the %&th century. )ocal legislature continued to be dominated by planters and other members of the employed class who pass laws which favoured their own interests at the expense of black workers. The money government needed for their expenses came mainly from import duties, but in many cases these fell more heavily on the poor. )aws were not properly enforced fairly to protect the masses from exploitation. /or example, the law did not set the level of wages and offered any protection to workers when employers decided to cut wages. Samuel Smith an 6ntiguan recorded events where planters fatally whipped their workers without any fear of legal conse"uences. !lergymen of the 6nglican !hurch were partisan to the government and decided which set of people should get poor relief and whose child should get a scholarship.

Political Enfranchisement This refers to the right of a people or nation to determine their own affairs. 7nce emancipation was achieved it was only a matter of time before !aribbean people start to develop the skills and expertise necessary to challenge the status "uo4 the first of which was the Morant ay 8ebellion in %93(.

1 Ms. N. Lewis

!aribbean people also migrated to different regions in the years to come to work for better wages. Some went to work on the :anama !anal, the modern sugar industry in !uba, :uerto 8ico in textile factories, the oil refineries of !uracao and 6ruba and the oil fields of ;ene<uela. 8eturning soldiers who had served in the world wars were unwilling to settle for their low status in society and thus formed their own organi<ations to speak out against the in=ustices of the society. Many were influenced by the philosophical ideas of Marcus -arvey black pride and consciousness. y the %&*+s people launched riots and strikes in order to bring about changes. This time also saw the rise of charismatic leaders such >riah u<< utler, 6lexander ustamante of ?amaica, 6rthur !ipriani of Trinidad @athainel !richlow of -uyana and -rantley 6dams of arbados. !reation of political parties- ?): A :@: in ?amaica4 arbados :rogressive )eagues4 :eoples @ational Movement led by Eric #illiams all assisted in the move towards self governance and @ationalism. The Moyne !ommission had recommended that all colonies move towards 6dult Suffrage that is, every adult should have franchise. 6dult Suffrage came into being in ?amaica %&,, which stipulated that every manB woman over '% should be given the right to vote. This gave them the opportunity to make laws to effect changes in the respective colonies. 6dult Suffrage gained support from the @ationalist Movements such as -raveyism and :an 6frican Movement4 the intelligentsia, literary works of writers and the media in the decoloni<ation process. Trade >nions were also formed to enable better working conditions and treatment of workers of which were the arbados #orkers >nion and ?amaican $ndustrial Trade >nion.

Economic enfranchisement This is a condition whereby a country or nation achieves the right to determine how it will develop its systems of production. The genesis of this enfranchisement can be found in the movement of the newly freed people to establish themselves as new proprietors and which evolved into the formation of free villages and peasantry. !aribbean people in their "uest for self governance also wanted the opportunity to control their economy. The plantation economy was diversified to include alternative crops such as banana, cocoa, coffee, arrowroot which were cultivated by peasant farmers on small landholdings. This strategy of economic diversification attempted to make small farmers self sufficient and resilient to face the economic hardship. $t kept them independent of the planter and the low wages offered on the plantations. $t gave them the opportunity to organi<e themselves for the export market and develop some sophistication in making trading connections with the wider world. $n spite of this yearning to become economically viable peasants were meted with oppression from the ruling class who charged high rents for land or face eviction. :lanters refuse to sell lands to peasants in order to block their efforts to seek credit facilities4 some were sabotaged. Efforts at economic diversification did assist the colony in establishing a more balanced economy and provided the peasants with a sense of independence.

Sources

%.6shdown, :eter and /rancis Cumphreys. 0 %&991. !aribbean 8evision Cistory for !D!. Macmillan :ublishers
! eckford, Evol. !aribbean Studies !ourse 7utline and @otes. "! eckles, Cilary and ;erene Shepherd. 0 '++,1. )iberties )ostE !aribbean $ndigenous Societies and Slave systems.

2 Ms. N. Lewis

!ambridge >nivesity :ress. #! -reenwood, 8obert and Shirley Camber 0 '++*1. 6merindians to 6fricans. Macmillan :ublishers. $! Mohammad, ?eniffer. 0'++91. !6:E !aribbean StudiesE 6n $nterdisciplinary 6pproach. Macmillan :ublishers. )imited. %! FFFFF 0 '+%%1 !aribbean Examination !ouncil !6:E !aribbean StudiesE Self Study -uide. @elson Thornes )imited. &! Shepherd, ;erene. 0 '++31 . /reedoms #onE !aribbean Emancipations, Ethnicities and @ationhood. !ambridge >niversity :ress. :g. ,3.

'uestions (! ! "! #! $! Explain the socio- economic conditions of the society before independence. #hy were blacks given limited educational opportunities in the !aribbean G #hat is 6dult SuffrageG #hat was the significance of 6dult Suffrage in the !aribbean during '+th centuryG #hat role did -arvey5s philosophical ideologies play in the development of nationalists movements in the !aribbeanG #hat is political enfranchisementG Cow political enfranchisement did supported the movement towards economic independence in the !aribbeanG #hat role did the church play in the process of independence in the !aribbeanG

%! &!

)!

3 Ms. N. Lewis