The Caribbean in the Wider World, 1492-1992: A Regional Geography

In this short treatise, Richardson spans 500 years of development in the Caribbean. The emphasis is on an economic description of the history. The political events are given short shrift. There is a detailed look at slavery as instituted by the European powers. Mostly to grow sugar cane. The discussion is rather dry, and does not stray into the egregrious violations of human rights engendered by the transportation of hundreds of thousands from Africa to toil in the Caribbean. Later, we see the development of other crops, especially bananas. Accompanied by decolonisation, but with the massive influence of the United States, especially through various multinationals. One common theme is that the region was simply too small in terms of people and resources to be fully independent. The history of the region is also largely of the influence of greater external powers. There is also an account of the recent migrations within the Caribbean and to the US and Britain, giving rise to an Afro-Caribbean diaspora.