The truth about Colonialism in the Caribbean

Photo Credit: Caribbean-Painters.com

Columbus discovered the new world...Colonialism introduced democracy and civilization to the new world and indigenous persons were cannibals......lie lies and more lies. The Caribbean was home to numerous indigenous persons, who lived in harmony prior to the arrival of the Europeans. They developed systems of organization within their communities and developed trade systems among tribes so were they really barbaric? Or was it all a ploy by the Europeans to enhance their image and make the genocide seem like the right thing to do. Certainly colonialism as it was told in books was much different than the actual situation, which is now being brought to light. The genocides, the abuse, the slavery, the poor working conditions faced by all workers on the plantations are examples on how colonialism really affected the Caribbean.

The economies of the region also suffered as the mono-cropping system led to lack of agricultural diversity which continued well after colonialism, since the colonies lacked funds to diversify their economies. Colonialism also lives on in the present day as the pyramid system also places skin tone as preference, where lighter skin tones are still desired and associated to be with higher class, while darker skin tones are the majority which occupies the bottom of the pyramid. 

Fanon's work can be seen throughout this process as it shows in the decolonization process, where Fanon said, "decolonization is quite simply the replacing of a certain "species" of men by another "species" of men. Without any period of transition, there is a total, complete, and absolute substitution." This statement shows that when the colonies gained their independence, the same structures of the colonizers, which was the plantation system which continued with mainly sugar cultivation.