The Political Economy of Caribbean Development

273 Pages·2013·1.135 MB·English

by  Matthew Louis Bishop (auth.)

The Political Economy of Caribbean Development
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The Political Economy of
Caribbean Development
Matthew Louis Bishop
Lecturer, Institute of International Relations, University of the West Indies,
Trinidad and Tobago
© Matthew Louis Bishop 2013
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2013 978-0-230-25001-7
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and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2013 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke,
HampshireRG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries
ISBN 978-1-349-32105-6 ISBN 978-1-137-31610-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9781137316103
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managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing
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For Pam
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Contents
List of Tables ix
Acknowledgements x
List of Acronyms xii
Map xv
1 Introduction 1
The significance of the study 3
Anchoring the comparative method: La carpeetle lapin 5
The structure of the book 6
Some brief reflections on methodology 8
Part I Enduring Structures, Understanding Agency 11
2 The Caribbean: A Global History 13
Introduction: History as structure 13
Colonialism: European totalitarianism in the Americas 15
Decolonisation 24
Conclusion 34
3 The Rise and Fall of Caribbean Development Theory 36
Development theory in the Anglophone Caribbean 37
Understanding development in the French Caribbean 53
Conclusion 66
4 Beyond the Impasse: Towards a New Political Economy 68
of Development
Impassable? 68
Conceptualising development, universalising strategy 69
Cementing foundations for concrete analysis 78
Conclusion: Towards concrete analysis 88
Part II The Comparative Political Economy of 91
Eastern Caribbean Development
5 Political Development 93
The state 93
Political system 98
Political practice 108
vii
viii Contents
The broader governance panorama 118
Conclusion 126
6 Economic Development 129
Enduring legacies: Dependence, vulnerability and 129
the global crisis
Understanding the Eastern Caribbean economy 132
Agriculture 136
The service economy 144
The public sector in the economy 153
The international dimension 157
Conclusion 162
7 Social Development 165
Historical legacies and human development 165
Health 168
Education 174
The broader social problématique 178
Conclusion 194
Part III Conclusions 197
8 Conclusion: The Caribbean, Development and IPE 199
Tensions and trade-offs in the Eastern Caribbean 200
Theoretical implications: Global evolution, 207
local tendencies
Notes 215
Bibliography 226
Index 252
List of Tables
2.1 Monarchies, Revolutions and Republics in France 20
5.1 Recent General Election Results in St Lucia and St Vincent 102
5.2 2004 and 2010 Regional Council Elections in 106
Martinique and Guadeloupe
5.3 Good Governance Indicators 2011 119
6.1 Economic Data in Historical Perspective 133
6.2 Sectoral Overview (per cent of GDP at Factor Cost) 135
6.3 Banana Production (1000s of tonnes) 138
6.4 Composition of Tertiary Sector 145
6.5 Key Tourism Statistics 147
7.1 The Human Development Index 2011 166
7.2 The Human Development Index 2000 167
7.3 Key Health Indicators 169
7.4 Key Education Indicators 175
7.5 Demographic Indicators 178
ix