Jamaica

The 1970s was one of the most tumultuous eras of Jamaican history. The island country was thrown into a period of intense class struggle not experienced since the Great Depression and the 1938 general strike. Ultimately, a bloody campaign of violence driven by US imperialism defeated the struggle for socialism in Jamaica. This momentous episode in the history of the Jamaican working class provides all workers and youth with stark lessons for the class struggle today.

On 6 August 2022, Jamaicans celebrated 60 years of formal national independence from British rule. The parasitic Jamaican ruling class attempted to use the pomp, ceremony and spirit of national fervour to distract from worsening economic and social crises. But the fact is that the tasks of Jamaica’s independence struggle have not been completed.

With the British monarchy mired in crisis and scandal, calls for republicanism are growing across the Commonwealth. The struggle for genuine independence must be linked to the struggle against imperialism and capitalism – and for socialism.

We received the following contribution which provides useful background information to the upcoming Jamaican elections.

Last week riots erupted in several cities on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. According to the Jamaican newspaper Jamaica Gleaner, the riots began after the island’s national electricity provider announced a rise in electricity tariffs. However, the protests were also directed against decaying public infrastructure such as roads and sewage, low wages, and the increasing violence on the island.