Movement Towards

Independence
Political and Economic
Enfranchisement
 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Define political and economic enfranchisement.
 Describe the process towards achieving political and
economic enfranchisement.
 State the factors responsible for the eventual
achievement of political enfranchisement and
economic enfranchisement.
 Political Enfranchisement

 Refers to the right to citizenship, to vote and govern one’s self.

 Tension had been building for decades since before the riots of
the 1930’s.
 Largely due to the conditions of the society and the unwillingness
of the colonial authorities to grant the black masses the right to
participate in the political affairs of the states.
 To vote one had to be male, had to have an income of at least 30
pounds and own property valued at more than 100 pounds. That
accounted for only 5% of the population of St. Kitts.
 Political Enfranchisement

Challenges to Colonialism
Internal Pressure
 Opposition from black Caribbean Leaders
 T. A. Marryshow, Eric Williams, Norman Manley, J.J. Thomas.
 These leaders were clamouring for the right to self
governance since before the beginning of the century.
 They wrote books, published articles, held public meetings,
all in an attempt to mobilize the masses and to pressure the
colonial authorities to succumb to their desire.
 Political Enfranchisement

 Growth of Nationalism
 Norman Manley, J. J. Thomas, Eric Williams
 This led to the development of a national identity and
consciousness.
 Encouraged their country men to develop pride in their
countries, its culture, art, music and heritage.
 Also, encouraged the development of racial
consciousness/ awareness – led by Marcus Garvey, Pan-
Africanism and Negritude.
 Political Enfranchisement

 The violent responses to British Rule

 Riots of the 1930’s and the Morant Bay Rebellion
 Revolts and Rebellions in the other European colonies
 Revolt in Puerto Rico to Spanish rule
 The Cuban War of Independence and the Spanish American War
 Global Economic Depression of the 1920’s
 Affected the Caribbean especially hard, because of the region’s
reliance on the export of raw material as its main source of
revenue.
 Caused high unemployment, high commodity prices, low wages.
 Political Enfranchisement

 Recommendations of the Moyne Commission

 A commission sent from Europe by the Colonial
Secretary to investigate the causes of poverty and other
social ills in Caribbean society.
 They recommended improvements be made in the
social and economic conditions of the colony.
 Emergence of working class solidarity and Trade and
Workers Unions
 Gave the people a voice and brought people together
into a united force.
 Political Enfranchisement

External Pressure
 World wide movement towards decolonisation.
 The colonies were no longer considered as profitable.
 Violent struggles in several of the African colonies –
Kenya and Zimbabwe
 The influence of United Nations
 urging the colonial powers to give up their colonies and
allow the formation of self – governing states.
 Political Enfranchisement

 Britain granted India its Independence in 1947.

 After years of war and the deaths of thousands of
people in a very violent struggle for independence.
 Change in the political and economic climate in
England
 The new government - the Labour Party supported self
– governance.
 Post war expenses – the rebuilding effort
 Political Enfranchisement

Eventually political enfranchisement was granted in the

British Colonies. It began with:
 Constitutional change
 Changes in the Crown Colony Government
 Islands were granted internal governance
 Allowed representatives to be elected to the legislature.
 However, Britain still controlled defence and foreign
affairs.
 Political Enfranchisement

 Granting of Universal Adult Suffrage

 All adults over the age of 21 granted the right to vote in
elections.
 Jamaica – 1944, Trinidad – 1945, Barbados – 1950,
Grenada – 1951,
 Creation of Political Parties
 Many of them were off-shoots of the trade unions
 JLP and PNP in Jamaica, PNM in Trinidad
 Political Enfranchisement

 Ministerial System and Associate Statehood

 Elected members of legislative council became head of
the ministry
 Full internal self-governance (1967 – Grenada)
 Governor remained as head of state
 Britain in charge of defence and external affairs
 Political Enfranchisement

 Federation
 The British West Indian Federation was formed in 1958.
 Was to be the avenue through which Britain would
extend self-governance.
 All the islands were considered as a single territory with
a single economy and prime minister.
 Eventually failed when Jamaica and Trinidad withdrew in
1961.
 Political Enfranchisement

 Independence
 Countries granted full control of all their affairs –
internal and external.
 Jamaica and Trinidad - 1962
 Barbados and Guyana – 1966
 Bahamas – 1973
 Grenada – 1974
 St. Vincent and St. Lucia – 1979
 Belize - 1981
 Economic Enfranchisement

 Economic Enfranchisement - “the situation when a

group of people or a country achieves the ability to
determine how it develops its systems of production”
(Thompson, Lawson-Downer, John, & Thomas-Hunte,
2017).
 It is reflected in the expansion of the economy from a
plantation society to a diversified economy (Otttley,
Gentles, & Dawson, 2013).
 Economic Enfranchisement

 This process began with the movement of the ex-

slaves away from the plantations into newly
established communities, where they established
themselves as independent proprietors.
 This lead to the rise of free villages and the
emergence of the peasantry.
 As group the peasantry was largely responsible for
the diversification of the economies of the colonies.
 Economic Enfranchisement

The Growth of the Peasantry led to:

 The Emergence of peasant farmers owning between 10 to
100 acres of land.
 They were responsible for the change from sugar cane
production to the production of a wide variety of crops, such
as ground provisions, spices, bananas, nutmeg, citrus, rice, etc.
 The development of the local and export markets as surplus
was sold both locally and internationally.
 There was an increase in export earnings as the colonies were
able to supply other agricultural produce apart from sugar
cane.
 Economic Enfranchisement

 The growth of Huckstering (Vending)

 This activity was done mainly by women but the arrival
of the indentured servants - the Syrians, Lebanese and
Chinese - diversified the venture as they too became
involved, mainly in door to door selling and the setting
up of small shops.
 A wide variety of services were provided as result such
as: restaurants, laundry services, transportation.
 Economic Enfranchisement

 The Expansion of occupations available off the estates.

 This was created by the newly emerging businesses and
the expansion of the export sector.
 Jobs: dock workers, clerical jobs, stores and shop workers,
tailors, dress makers, bakers, etc.
 Migration within and outside for the region.
 Remittances contributed significantly towards diversifying
the economies by providing the means to start and
maintain businesses and educate children.
 Economic Enfranchisement

 The Development of saving facilities to carter to the

peasant class.
 Members of the peasant class were not allowed access
to financial institutions such as the banks. They were not
allowed membership and access to credit facilities such
as loans.
 Examples: Peoples Co-operative (Jamaica), Friendly
Societies, Post Offices, Credit Unions
 Post Lesson Activity

 Complete the post lesson quiz on Moodle.

 Conclusion

 Although full political enfranchisement has been

achieved in the region, full economic
enfranchisement appears to be out of reach.
 This is due to increasing globalisation, neo-colonialism
and dependence on international aid, grants and
foreign direct investments.
 References

 Mohammed, J. (2007). Caribbean Studies for CAPE

Examinations. Oxford: Macmillan Education.
 Ottley, J., Gentles, M., & Dawson, V. (2013). CAPE
Caribbean Studies. Harlow: Pearson Education
Limited.
 Thompson, K., Lawson-Downer, M., John, A. S., &
Thomas-Hunte, E. (2017). CAPE Revision Guide
Caribbean Studies. London: Harper Collins Publishers
Ltd.