Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T13:25:59.278Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Federation of the West Indies: a Study in Nationalisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2014

Samuel J. Hurwitz
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

There is a West Indian proverb, “If you kill me, bury me, too.” The concept of a West Indian federation has been killed, but it refuses to be buried and may, phoenix-like, rise out of the ashes at some future date. Perhaps this is the case because it is so much more difficult to bury ideals than it is to kill off their immediate results. As a factual reality, the Federation of the West Indies expired almost at the very moment of its birth. The funeral rites were without ceremony. Friends of the deceased grieved, while others grinned, and all shared in the paltry inheritance. Yet, as an ideal, it is enshrined in the hearts of many West Indians who continue to look beyond their very narrow geographical limits for a bond that will unite them with others for the greater glory of the entire West Indian community.

If the Federation of the West Indies becomes a reality — and the initial failure may be a necessary step in its ultimate success — it will be but another demonstration that the spirit of nationalism cannot be checked by the facts of geography and economics. In politics, vision and the sense of mission often enable men to climb mountains even if they are unable to move them. Man's indomitable spirit, which enables him to deny God and nature, is exemplified in the nationalistic movements so characteristic of the last hundred years and more, which are reaching new heights of intensity, if not frenzy, in our own day.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of British Studies , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , November 1966 , pp. 139 - 168
Copyright
Copyright © North American Conference of British Studies 1966

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Quoted in Domingo, W. A., British West Indian Federation: A Critique (New York, 1956), p. 5Google Scholar.

2. Federation of West Indian Students Unions of Great Britain and Ireland, Memorandum to the Unit Delegates to the 1956 London Conference on British Caribbean Federation (n.p., n.d.).

3. Springer, Hugh W., Reflections on the Failure of the West Indian Federation (Cambridge, Mass., 1962), p. 39Google Scholar.

4. James, Cyril L. R., The Case for West Indian Self-Government (London, 1933), p. 31Google Scholar.

5. Quoted in Simey, Thomas Spensley, Welfare and Planning in the West Indies (London, 1947), p. 65Google Scholar.

6. James, , West Indian Self-Government, p. 32Google Scholar.

7. Farley, Rawle, Farmers and Federation (n.p., [1961])Google Scholar.

8. Gomes, Albert, “Federation in the British West Indies,” in The Caribbean: Its Political Problems, ed. Wilgus, A. Curtis (Gainesville, Fla., 1956), p. 277Google Scholar.

9. Springer, H. W., “On Being West Indian,” Caribbean Quarterly, III (1953), 181CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

10. Seers, Dudley, “Federation of the British West Indies: The Economic and Financial Aspects,” Social and Economic Studies, VI (1957), 206Google Scholar.

11. Life and Letters, LIX (Nov. 1948) {West Indian Number]Google Scholar.

12. Springer, , Reflections, p. 50Google Scholar.

13. World University Service International Seminar and Study Tours, 10th, The West Indies in Transition: Implications of Political Independence: Report (Toronto, 1959), p. 32Google Scholar.

14. Simey, , Welfare and Planning, p. 3Google Scholar.

15. Great Britain, CO, Report by the Hon. E. F. L. Wood on His Visit to the West Indies and British Guiana, December, 1921-February, 1922, p. 31 (Cmd. 1679, in Sessional Papers 1922, XVI)Google Scholar. Sessional Papers hereinafter cited as S.P.

16. Great Britain, CO, Closer Union Commission, Report (Cmd. 4383, in S.P. 1932–1933, XV)Google Scholar.

17. Great Britain, CO, Report of the British Caribbean Federal Capital Commission, p. 8 (CO, No. 328, 1956)Google Scholar.

18. Ibid.

19. Challenge to the British Caribbean [Research Series, Fabian Society, No. 152] (London, 1952), p. 7Google Scholar.

20. Rance, Hubert, “Towards a Federation of the British West Indies,” in The Caribbean: Contemporary Trends, ed. Wilgus, A. Curtis (Gainesville, Fla., 1953), p. 243Google Scholar.

21. Great Britain, CO, Report by Wood (Cmd. 1679)Google Scholar.

22. Great Britain, CO, British Dependencies in the Caribbean and North Atlantic, p. 23 (Cmd. 8575, in S.P. 1951–1952, XXIV)Google Scholar.

23. Lockwood, P. A. (ed.), Canada and the West Indies (Sackville, N.B., 1957), p. 11Google Scholar.

24. Great Britain, CO, Report by Wood, pp. 30, 31 (Cmd. 1679)Google Scholar.

25. Ramphal, S. S., “Federalism in the West Indies,” Caribbean Quarterly, VI (1960), 210CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

26. Curry, Herbert Franklin, The Movement Toward Federation of the British West Indian Colonies, 1624-1645 (Ph.D. thesis, University of Wisconsin, available on University microfilms, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1963)Google Scholar.

27. Ramphal, S. S., “The West Indies — Constitutional Background to Federation,” Public Law (Summer, 1959), p. 139Google Scholar.

28. Williams, Eric, The Approach of Independence, An Address to the fourth Annual Convention of the Peoples National Movement (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1960)Google Scholar.

29. Elsa Goveia, An Introduction to the Federation Day Exhibition on Aspects of the History of the West Indies (n.p., n.d.).

30. Hall, Douglas, Free Jamaica, 1838-1865; An Economic History (New Haven, 1959)Google Scholar.

31. Augier, Roy and Gordon, Shirley, compilers, Sources of West Indian History (London, 1962), p. 269Google Scholar.

32. Ibid., p. 270.

33. Great Britain, Parliament, Correspondence of Sir W. G. Colebrook, Governor General of the Leeward Islands with Lord Glenelg on the Subject of a Convention of a General Council and Assembly of the Leeward Islands, pp. 114–15 (Cmd. 595, in S.P. 1840, XXXIV)Google Scholar.

34. Merivale, C. S., Lectures on Colonies and Colonization (Oxford, 1912), AppendixGoogle Scholar.

35. Great Britain, Parliament, Correspondence Respecting the Federation of the Leeward Islands, pp. 1, 2 (Cmd. 353, in S.P. 1871, XLVIII)Google Scholar.

36. Great Britain, Parliament, Papers Relating to the Late Disturbances in Barbados, p. 5 (Cmd. 1539, in S.P. 1867, LIII)Google Scholar. See also Further Papers Relating to the Late Disturbances in Barbados (Cmd. 1559, in continuation of Cmd. 1539, in S.p. 1876, LIII; Cmd. 1679, in continuation of Cmd. 1559, in S.P. 1877, LXI).

37. Williams, Eric, History of the People of Trinidad and Tobago (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1960), pp. 250–51Google Scholar.

38. Salmon, C. S., The Caribbean Federation (London, [1888]), pp. 126, 136Google Scholar.

39. Great Britain, Parliament, Papers Relating to the Late Disturbances in Barbados, pp. 9, 25 (Cmd. 1539)Google Scholar.

40. Hamilton, Bruce, Barbados and the Confederation Question, 1871-1885 (London, 1956)Google Scholar.

41. Great Britain, Royal Commission, Islands of Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent, Tobago, and St. Lucia and the Leeward Islands, Report, Pt. 3, pp. 39–43 (Cmd. 3840, in S.P. 1884, XVI)Google Scholar.

42. Great Britain, CO, Papers Relating to the Proposed Union of the Islands of Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Tobago, esp. pp. 3, 19, 26 (Cmd. 4482, in S.P. 1885, LIII)Google Scholar.

43. Great Britain, Royal Commission to Inquire into the Affairs of the Island of Dominica, Report, p. xxxvii (Cmd. 7477, in S.P. 1894, LVIII)Google Scholar.

44. Great Britain, Report of the West India Royal Commission, pp. 23-24, 64, 71–72 (Cmd. 8655, in S.P. 1898, L)Google Scholar.

45. Great Britain, Royal Commission on Trade Relations Between Canada and the West Indies, Report (Cmd. 5369, in S.P. 1910, XI)Google Scholar; Minutes of Evidence (Cmd. 4991, 5370, and 5371, in S.P. 1910, XI). See also Agreement Between Canada and Certain West Indian Colonies, 9th April, 1912, and Correspondence Relating Thereto (Cmd. 6092, in S.P. 1912-13, LX). The issue of federation was raised briefly in the House of Commons on May 17, 1905, but dropped at the request of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Alfred Lyttelton. See 3 Hansard 146: 720 (17 May, 1905).

46. Murray, C. G., A Scheme for the Federation of Certain West Indian Colonies (London, 1912)Google Scholar.

47. Great Britain, CO, The West Indian Conference Held in London, May-June 1926, Report (Cmd. 2672, in S.P. 1926, IX)Google Scholar.

48. “A Move Towards Federation,” The West Indian Committee Circular (London), XLVI (Apr. 2, 1931), 121Google Scholar.

49. Great Britain, CO, Report by Wood, p. 31 (Cmd. 1679)Google Scholar.

50. West Indian Committee Circular, XLVI (Apr. 16, 1931), 143.Google Scholar

51. Great Britain, CO, West Indian Conference, Report (Cmd. 2672).

52. West Indian Committee Circular, XLVI (Feb. 5 and 19, 1931), 53, 74.Google Scholar

53. Great Britain, CO, Closer Union Commission, Report (Cmd. 4383).

54. Great Britain, Parliament, West Indian Royal Commission, Report to Parliament (Cmd. 6607, in S.P. 1944–1945, VI)Google Scholar.

55. Great Britain, Parliament, West Indian Royal Commission, Recommendations (Cmd. 6174, in S.P. 1939–1940, V)Google Scholar.

56. Great Britain, Parliament, West Indian Royal Commission, Report (Cmd. 6607).

57. Ibid., p. 327.

58. Phelps, O. W., “Rise of the Labour Movement in Jamaica,” Social and Economic Studies, IX (1960), 456Google Scholar.

59. Great Britain, CO, Memorandum of the Closer Association of the British West Indian Colonies, Appendix and p. 3 (Cmd. 7120, in S.P. 1946–1947, XIX)Google Scholar.

60. Great Britain, CO, Conference on the Closer Association of the British West Indian Colonies, Montego Bay, Jan. 11-Sep. 19, 1947, Report, Pt. 1, pp. 7–10 (Cmd. 7291, in S.P. 1947–1948, XI).

61. British Caribbean Standing Closer Association Committee, Report, 1948-49 (Bridgetown, Barbados, [1950])Google Scholar.

62. Ibid.

63. Ibid.

64. Challenge to the British Caribbean, p. 24.

65. Great Britain, CO, Conference on West Indian Federation, Apr. 1953, Report, p. 3 (Cmd. 8837, in S.P. 1952–1953, VIII)Google Scholar.

66. Great Britain, CO, The Plan for a British Caribbean Federation Agreed by the Conference on West Indian Federation Held in London in April, 1953 (Cmd. 8895, in S.P. 1952–1953, XXIII)Google Scholar.

67. Great Britain, CO, Conference on British Caribbean Federation Held in London in Feb. 1956, Report, pp. 3, 4, 14, 15 (Cmd. 9733, in S.P. 1955–1956, XII)Google Scholar.

68. Great Britain, CO, The Plan for a British Caribbean Federation, Report of the Civil Service Commissioner, pp. 6, 43 (Cmd. 9619, in S.P. 1955–1956, XII)Google Scholar.

69. Great Britain, CO, The Plan for a British Caribbean Federation, Report of the Fiscal Commissioner, pp. 10, 17, 25, 35, 41 (Cmd. 9618, in S.P. 1955–1956, XII)Google Scholar.

70. Great Britain, CO, Report of the British Caribbean Federal Capital Commission, p. 22 (CO, No. 328)Google Scholar.

71. Walcott, Derek, “Drums and Colours,” Caribbean Quarterly, VII (1961), 3–101Google Scholar.

72. Great Britain, CO, Report of the Fiscal Commissioner, p. 4 (Cmd. 9618)Google Scholar.

73. Lowenthal, David. “The Social Background of the West Indian Federation,” in The West Indies Federation, ed. Lowenthal, D. (New York, 1961), p. 70Google Scholar.

74. Daily Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica), Dec. 31, 1958Google Scholar.

75. Ibid., Dec. 5, 1958.

76. Jamaica, People's National Party, Federation Facts (Kingston, Jamaica, 1961)Google Scholar.

77. Smith, Adam, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, ed. Cannan, Edwin (New York, 1937), p. 587: Bk. IV, ch. vii, Pt. 3Google Scholar.

78. Pepperpot (Kingston, Jamaica), II (1958), 61Google Scholar.

79. Daily Gleaner, Dec. 29, 1958.

80. Ibid., Jan. 4, 1956.

81. Jamaica, People's National Party, Great Sayings on Federation ([Jamaica, 1961]), and Unions and Federation (n.p., n.d.), pp. 149–52Google Scholar.

82. Jamaica, People's National Party, Great Sayings on Federation.

83. Letter in Daily Gleaner, Jan. 12, 1959.

84. Ibid., Apr. 24, 1958.

85. Grantley Adams's warning is in The First Year – Six Broadcasts by Members of the Federal Government (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1959)Google Scholar.

86. Daily Gleaner, Jan. 30, 1958.

87. Ibid., Apr. 25, 1958.

88. Ibid., Dec. 30, 1958.

89. Ibid., Apr. 24, 1958.

90. Trinidad and Tobago, Legislative Council, Revision of the Federal Constitution: speech by Eric Williams, 11 Sep. 1959 ([Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1959?])Google Scholar, and Trinidad and Tobago, Economics of Nationhood (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1959)Google Scholar.

91. Daily Gleaner, Dec. 12, 1960.

92. Great Britain, West Indies Constitutional Conference, 1961, Report, pp. 6, 7, 16–18 (Cmd. 1417, in S.P. 1960–1961, XIII)Google Scholar. “British Colonialism departed from the West Indies in the same manner in which many of its representatives had always lived there: with a cheery exhortation, a pat on the back, and a tiny gratuity for a faithful colonial retainer.” Bell, Wendell and Oxaal, Ivar, Decisions of Nationhood, Political and Social Development in the British Caribbean (Denver, 1964), p. 88Google Scholar.

93. Jamaica, Government Public Relations Office, Jamaica and Federation (Kingston, Jamaica, 1961)Google Scholar.

94. Daily Gleaner, Nov. 3, 1959.

95. Williams, , History of the People of Trinidad and Tobago, p. 237Google Scholar.

96. Daily Gleaner, Jan. 29, 1960. The statement was made by Norman Manley.

97. Quoted in Guérin, Daniel, The West Indies and Their Future (London, 1961), p. 31Google Scholar.

98. Dicey, A. V., Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (10th ed.; London, 1961), p. 137Google Scholar.

99. Bryce, James, The American Commonwealth (New York, 1914), I, 350Google Scholar.

100. Ramphal, S. S., “The Constitution of Australia,” Caribbean Quarterly, VII (1960), 97–98Google Scholar.

101. Foltz, William J., From French West Africa to the Mali Federation (New Haven, 1965), p. 193Google Scholar. The reference is to the failure of the Mali Federation.

102. A study carried on in 1958 revealed that even among the Jamaican elite there was a considerable amount of feeling against federation. See Bell, Wendell, “Attitudes of Jamaican Elites Toward the West Indies Federation,” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, LXXXIII (1959–1960), 862–77Google Scholar, and Jamaican Leaders, Political Attitudes in a New Nation (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1964), pp. 132–50Google Scholar.

103. Foot, Sir Hugh, “Great Britain and the Building of a New Self-Governing Nation in the Caribbean,” in The Caribbean: Contemporary International Relation, ed. Wilgus, A. Curtis (Gainesville, Fla., 1957), pp. 54–55Google Scholar.

104. Dicey, , Law of the Constitution, p. 173Google Scholar.

105. West Indian Economist, IV (1961), 3.Google Scholar

106. SirFoot, Hugh, A Start in Freedom (London, 1964), p. 132Google Scholar.