PowerPoint Done By Shad Gobinsingh

Enslavement in the West Indies; a Brief Overview.

Status quo of Plantation

Planters were in control of the entire plantation, and also in control of the subservient free labor force with that control being economically, socially and politically manipulated.

Enslaved population were considered the chattel property of their masters, meaning that they had no voice or say in any of the decisions made.

Emancipation In the West Indies British Territories- 1834 French Territories-1848 Spanish Territories- 1822, 1868

Territories Included

British Guiana Trinidad Jamaica Cuba Puerto Rico Santa Domingo Guadeloupe Martinique Barbados St. Kitts Antigua St.Lucia

Problems that arose for Planters Formerly enslaved population attempted

different avenues of work. Many sought peasantry. Women, children and aged no longer compelled

to work. Quality of labor fell as the formerly enslaved

chose to work at their convenience. Increase in absenteeism. Element of fear from punishment now lost. Guaranteed of an available and reliable labor

force now removed.

Planters Main Strategies

Restrict freedom of movement of formerly enslaved.

Reduce the alternatives of employment. Keep formerly enslaved dependent of an

artificial need for money.

Planter Strategies

Apprenticeship system- a system devised to ensure that the planters would receive a labor force for a few years after 1834 in the British West Indies.

Labor Laws/Contracts as early as 1848 in the French West Indies were instituted to control and manipulate the formerly enslaved.

In the Spanish West Indies The contratacion in 1823 and the Patronato system in 1868 were means of manipulation.

Planter Strategies

Attempted to recreate the slave system as much as possible.

Limited their free time. Prevented emigration. Taxation a key issue. Increase police presence. Strengthened vagrancy laws.

Planter Strategies

Vagrancy laws. Limitations on free time. Laws were passed making it difficult for

laborers to leave the colony. Increase on boats, canoes, carts and

mules to prevent migration. Tax increased from 50% to 200%. Sugar and Sugar related amenities

reduced to encourage sugar production.

Planter Strategies

Minimal qualification for voters manipulated. Land increased out the range of a formerly enslaved. Small plots or parts of land taxed very

disproportionate. Persons with lower incomes taxed more heavily than

those with higher incomes. A credit system was developed to keep laborers in

debt. Tied rent to wages. Workers sometimes not paid due to deducted wages. Rents were sometimes charged per head of

household.

Formerly Enslaved expectations. Newly freed wanted just and equitable wages. Newly freed wanted consolidation of family units,

i.e. to reform the family bonds of the past. Newly freed wanted freedom of movement. Newly freed wanted access to amenities such as

provision grounds and burial grounds away from planter’s land.

Newly freed wanted flexible labor arrangements. Wanted to plan allocation of time and labor

between plantation work, their own provision grounds, the markets and other forms of employment.

Formerly Enslaved expectations. Wanted to ensure that they would not be

subject to exploitation and unfair conditions.

Sought out any opportunity to get cash and stay off the radar of the local forces.

Preferred to not work under contractual labor but rather task labor which was more flexible.

Formerly Enslaved Strategies. Increase in provision grounds. Many turned to economic subsistence. Sale of provisions from provision grounds. Acquire land and independent cultivation. Utilizing skills away from the plantation. Steering of ships and building of crafts. Many set up small businesses for peddling of

goods. Sought out properties in towns. Purchasing of large, old, wooden houses in places

away from whites.

Formerly Enslaved Strategies. Renting of houses to newly freed persons who

migrated to the towns. Education was viewed as a vehicle of mobility

for the next generation. Collective purchasing of land by communities. Churches played a pivotal role in establishing

free villages and purchasing land. Enhanced profitability by Family labor. Reclaiming of African names. Forming of social political pressure groups.

Formerly Enslaved Strategies. Voted as a block to maximize the effect. Worked for whomever they wanted. Formed groups that were active in

strikes, protests and riots. Denied contractual labor. Disregarded the law. Disregarded curfews.

Counter strategies of the Planters Restrictions on mobility. Tenancy. Depressed wages. Limited opportunities on plantations due to mass

immigration. Severe pressure put on plantation grounds. Justice system was still white manipulation. Health care and social relief worse than during

enslavement. Immigrants. Public amenities were horrible.

Conclusion

The Whites were very much under increased pressure to keep their sugar productions at a high due to the emancipation of the enslaved population. With that being said, it was evident that they opted many schemes in attempts to recreate the status quo of the pre emancipation era as much as possible. However, it must be noted that for every attempt they made to stifle the formerly enslaved, another idea emerged from the formerly enslaved in an attempt to keep their freedom.