The Haunting Past Politics, Economics and Race in Caribbean Life

This survey addresses three important aspects of Caribbean life in the twentieth century -- politics, economics, and race -- and attempts to show their relationship and interaction. Following a geographic, ethnographic, and historical introduction, the author describes the political heritage of the region, characterized by a lack of indigenous political and democratic tradition and by the existence of political fragmentation and political violence. He then investigates economic conditions, including resource dimensions of the region and distorted economic development, and finally, the role of race, racial interaction and dynamism.

First Published in 2015. This book places in firm historical perspective the roots of Caribbean dependency, highlighting the ways in which the region has been and continues to be a pawn in Great Power politics and economics. The past is both haunting and daunting, seriously hampering the region's capacity to pursue an autonomous path. The author develops his argument by focusing on how politics, economics and race have shaped Caribbean history and contemporary life. Discussions and analysis include examples from the Anglophone, Spanish, French and Dutch speaking Caribbean islands and countries. Thompson also attempts to provide prescriptions that would free the region from the shackles of the past and place the countries on the path to independence.

Part 1 Introduction; Chapter 1 The physiognomy of caribbean colonialsm; Part 2 Politics; Chapter 2 The undemocratic and fragmented tradition; Chapter 3 The Politics of violence; Part 3 Economics; Chapter 4 The resource dimension; Chapter 5 Distorted development path I; Chapter 6 Distorted development path II; Part 4 Race; Chapter 7 Types and stereotypes; Chapter 8 The dynamics of race and colour; Part 5 Conclusion; Chapter 9 Targets for revolution;

Alvin O. Thompson