The Politics of Labour in the British Caribbean: The Social Origins of Authoritarianism and Democracy in the Labour Movement

This interpretation of labour organisations and politics of the working people of the British Caribbean relates their struggle to important national, regional and global factors. The chief focus is on the period between 1934 and 1954, when a series of labour rebellions gave rise to trade unions and political parties, and led to democratic reforms, self-government, and eventually independence. The author argues that while these new institutions were ostensibly democratic, they often exhibited authoritarian tendencies that reflected the wider political culture and global context in which these democratic-authoritarian states emerged. Social and economic changes since Emancipation are examined, including new class formations and racial consciousness, along with the impact of the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, the decline of the British Empire and the increasing hegemony of the United States. These circumstances precluded the creation of a socialist labour movement and facilitated the rise of middle-class politicians throughout the region. This multi-disciplinary and comparative study will interest everyone who is concerned with understanding the social origins of modern Caribbean political culture.