This book is an outgrowth of a series of seminars conducted in 1967 and 1968 at Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs). Interdisciplinary in scope, the various papers bring to bear the methodologies of the economist, geographer, historian, political scientist, and sociologist in an effort to trace the elements of external influence in the Caribbean. Edited and provided with an introduction by Emanuel de Kadt, the volume includes an essay type analysis of the Caribbean’s relationship with the outside world by Peter R. Odell and another essay on United States policy in the Caribbean by Lincoln Gordon. The main portion of the work, however, is devoted to individual case studies by Douglas Hall (Jamaica), Colin V. F. Henfrey (Guyana), Guy Lasserre and Albert Mabileau (the French Antilles), Harry Hoetink (the Dutch Caribbean), Robin Blackburn (Cuba), and Bryan Roberts (Guatemala). Although admittedly less than comprehensive, (seminar limitations precluded consideration of such areas as Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the other isthmian nations the work does nonetheless make a significant contribution by providing the reader with a group of well written and thoughtful case studies of foreign influence in selected areas of the Caribbean. Dr. de Kadt brings necessary cohesion to the undertaking by drawing together and analyzing, in his introduction, common themes which appear throughout the work.
The problems of the Caribbean as outlined in the different studies are those of micro-states in a macro-oriented and bi-polarized world. Whether the states are independent or still associated with the metropolitan power, the economic, political, and social implications of a lingering colonialism are still very much evident. An underlying assumption in most of the case studies is that only a radical “Cuban type” solution can provide the means for the breakup of the intransigent elite power structure and the consequent promotion of distributive justice for the masses of the population. Another basic assumption inherent in the work, however, is that the prospects for such change are at best remote. Elites in the Caribbean identify with similar elites in either past or present metropolitan powers or in the United States. This phenomenon in combination with the economic interests of multi-national corporations and North American strategic considerations serves to reinforce the status quo.
Although the advocates of social change in the Caribbean will find little cause for optimism in this volume, recent international events could presage a possible reordering of the Caribbean scene. The renewal of a significant East-West dialogue combined with American disengagement in Southeast Asia could provide the United States with the basis for new policy perspectives elsewhere in the world. A grudging toleration for hemispheric programs of national self determination might be an important dividend of this recent international experience. If the prospect of a rapprochement with Castro’s Cuba ever becomes a reality, then perhaps an important first step will have been taken to mitigate the understandable pessimism reflected in the pages of this study.
