Driven by urgent economic, political, and social issues, the British Caribbean colonies started

their federation journey in the wake of World War II. This movement, which covered the
Caribbean as a whole, was greatly impacted by important individuals like Dr. Eric Williams of
Trinidad and Tobago as well as Sir Grantley Adams of Barbados and crucial occasions like
Jamaica's vote to quit the federation.The British Caribbean colonies faced severe economic
obstacles after the war, which called for creative ways to promote growth and development.
Federalism became apparent as a strong option, with the potential to increase markets, pool
resources, and promote collaboration within the area.
To begin with, the British Caribbean colonies faced severe economic obstacles after the war,
which called for creative ways to promote growth and development. Federalism became
apparent as a strong option, with the potential to increase markets, pool resources, and promote
collaboration within the area.Foundational efforts, such as the 1945 Moyne Commission report,
completed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, set the stage for federation. Prominent proponent
of Caribbean unification, Dr. Eric Williams, emphasized the administrative and financial benefits
of increased cooperation across the regions. His pragmatic view, coupled with a strong
dedication to regional advancement, sparked a wave of enthusiasm for the federation
movement.A new era of political unity was ushered in in 1958 with the formal establishment of
the West Indian Federation. The federation, which was joined by countries like Trinidad and
Tobago, Barbados, and Jamaica, sought to capitalize on the combined might of the Caribbean
countries.There were many obstacles in the way of federation, which was a reflection of the
intricate interaction between conflicting interests and leadership styles. Conflicts pertaining to
taxes, representation, and power allocation frequently put the resolve of involved regions to the
test. Sir Grantley Adams managed these challenges with other leaders in the region,trying to
promote cooperation and compromise.
Alternatively, inter-island rivalry and nationalistic ideals prevented successful dissemination of
federation within the islands. Many people wanted the capital of the federation to be within their
colony as a means to brag and boast, especially Jamaica.Additionally, there were issues with
Chaguaramas, Trinidad, the Federation's planned capital, which was still under US control at the
time. The majority of colony leaders in the Caribbean desired Chaguaramas to serve as the
Federation's capital. Leaders of the provinces, such Eric Williams and Norman Manley of
Jamaica, lobbied for the US to turn over control of Chaguaramas to the Federation. The prime
minister of the Federation, Grantley Adams, prevented the provincial leaders from getting
Chaguaramas, despite disagreements with the US and the UK. For many Jamaicans it
appeared that the Federation would then just hamper their development and movement towards
independence. The bid to host the federation ultimately went to Trinidad and Tobago and this
upset the Jamaicans who believed that they were already taking on so much burden by carrying
the dead weight of the “Little Eight” in the federation that they should be entitled to the rights to
host the federation. This selfish and close minded viewpoint among other reasons, led Jamaica
to hold a referendum to decide if to persist within the federation or not.
Additionally,The thought of holding onto the burden of 10 other countries left Jamaica petrified.
In the midst of these initiatives, the crucial 1961 referendum in Jamaica proved to be a turning
point. An increasing sense of dissatisfaction and worries about losing their sovereignty led the
majority of Jamaican voters to decide to leave the federation. The referendum brought to light
the underlying conflicts within the union as well as the boundaries of centralized power in an
area characterized by variety and unique identities. The main one was having to carry the
weight of primitive economies, trying to change from over reliance on primary production to
more modern manufacturing and service output, on their shoulders. This would weigh down the
power of their currency and they felt like their resources would be exploited, potentially placing
them in the very situation those economies were in. This ultimately fueled their decision to leave
the Federation in order to preserve their strength. Trinidad soon left after, not wanting to take on
the burden left to picked up due to Jamaica’s leave.
Moreover, The federation project suffered a serious setback with Jamaica's exit, raising
questions about its sustainability and long-term prospects. As Dr. Eric Williams and other
federation supporters considered the effects of Jamaica's withdrawal, they realized the
necessity for introspection and recalibration. In a famous speech, Williams declared that "one
from ten leaves nought". The rationale and meaning behind that statement was that, without
Jamaica the biggest and strongest island, no federation could be possible due to the removal of
immense economic potential that was the natural resources of Jamaica. Following the adoption
of a resolution to that effect by the PNM General Council on 15 January 1962, Williams
withdrew Trinidad and Tobago from the West Indies Federation. This action led the British
government to dissolve the Federation
Consequently, all the aforementioned reasons are why the British Caribbean pushed for
federation but why it failed due to nationalistic arrogance and poor management and limited
power.