The 1930s Disturbances: Impact and Consequences
Background:
The factors that contributed to the disturbances may be divided into political, economic
and social.
Political
 A principal problem was a lack of political representation. In all colonies,
suffrage was very restrictive and London continued to dominate territorial
governance.
 Past communication problems between the colonies and the colonial authorities in
Britain was primarily due to the inaccessibility of the colonial service. The civil
service was staffed by graduates of Oxbridge more concerned with promotion
than responding to the needs of the populace.
 The society was radically altered by emancipation but the political framework
remained unchanged. The British Government had failed to abolish the old
political system.
Economic
 The economic system put in place by the ORS and maintained under the
CCG made the societies increasingly vulnerable and entirely dependent on
the world market
 The real weakness was in the structure of the economy. As plantation
economies, i.e. based primarily on monocrop agriculture, production for
export was the main driver. The relationship between the colonies and the
metropole was defined by four factors:
(a) division of labour – the colonies engaged in primary production and
the manufacture and distribution of consumer goods was done by the
metropole.
(b) carriage of trade – goods were almost entirely transported by
metropolitan carriers. Associated services were provided by metropolitan
intermediaries (Navigation laws).
(c) the monetary system – the banking system was dominated by
metropolitan bank and non-bank financial
intermediaries.
(d) imperial preferences – exports entered the metropole at lower tariffs
rival output and metropolitan consumer and capital goods were accorded
preferential entry into the colonies.
 The failure to develop was partly a reflection of the rigidity in social,
economic and political forms developed during slavery. The rigidity
created fixed ideas which in emancipation would lead to a failure to
innovate and a continued belief that the W.I. depended on export
agriculture and that the survival of the plantation depended upon a supply
of servile labour.
 Agriculture, the most important economic sector remained depressed. This
was due to the initiation of Britain’s free trade importation policy and
competition from beet sugar. Economic depression caused a fall in the
price of W.I. commodities, a fall in wages increased taxation and
widespread unemployment.
 The Great Depression created an even worst situation- rising cost of
living, rising unemployment and further falling wages.
 Emigration avenues closed as Brazil, Cuba, Panama and USA ceased to
provide outlets for the excess populations of the colonies.
Social
 Social services were either very basic or non-existent.
 Another grievance was lack of land reform since black wage earners could not
get access to fertile lands.
 The most obvious feature of the social structure which persisted from slavery
was the stratification of society on the basis of race and colour. Additionally,
there was a lack of mediating structures.
 No attempt was made by the white middle class to enlarge the franchise as this
would weaken their power and influence.
 National returning from duties in WWII and who had experienced a higher
standard of living began to agitate for fundamental social change. Of special
note was the message of Marcus Garvey which called for black empowerment
and a uniting of all African people.
The Disturbances
A series of riots began in 1935 and lasted until 1938. The territories affected were St.
Kitts, Jamaica, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Barbados and British Guiana. The riots affected the
sugar industry, oil refining and port activities. As result of the widespread nature of the
disturbances, the British Government dispatched a Royal Commission to investigate and
report its findings.
The Moyne Commission
The Moyne Commission was given the remit to investigate the social and economic
conditions and to make recommendations. The report addressed topics such as,
agriculture, public health, education, labour problems, administration and constitutional
issues. Some recommendations include:
- the establishment of a W.I. Welfare Fund of $1 million annually for 20 years to provide
for improvement to education, health and housing.
- creation of a school of hygiene for research and teaching on preventative medicine.
- land reform
- laws to protect trade unions
- creation of Labour Departments.
- minor modification to the CCG, the introduction of a limited committee system to give
selected legislative members an insight into administrative practices.
- intensification of agriculture through mixed farming.
N.B. no major push for industrial development
Consequences
1. The ending of the disturbances saw the emergence of strong trade unions
2. The formation of political parties – Jamaica, Barbados and St. Kitts.
3. The granting of universal adult suffrage and the beginning of constitutional decolonisation.
4. Middle class politicians made demands not only for self-government but higher wages
and better social services for workers.
References
Augier, F. 1865 and After in Beckles & Shepherd (eds) Caribbean Freedom
Lewis, G. The Growth of he Modern West Indies.
Hamber & Greenwood. Emancipation to Decolonisation.