Abstract
Jamaica was discovered by Columbus in 1494 and was occupied by the Spaniards from 1509 until 1655 when the island was captured by the English. In 1661 a representative constitution was established consisting of a governor, privy council, legislative council and legislative assembly. The slavery introduced by the Spanish was augmented as sugar production increased in value and extent in the 18th century. The plantation economy collapsed with the abolition of the slave trade in the late 1830s. The 1866 Crown Colony government was introduced with a legislative council. In 1884 a partially elective legislative council was instituted. Women were enfranchised in 1919. By the late 1930s, demands for self-government increased and the constitution of Nov. 1944 stated that the governor was to be assisted by a freely-elected house of representatives of 32 members, a legislative council (the upper house) of 15 members, and an executive council. In 1958 Jamaica joined with Trinidad, Barbados, the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands to create the West Indies Federation; but Jamaica withdrew in 1961. In 1959 internal self-government was achieved and in 1962 Jamaica became an independent state within the British Commonwealth.
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Further Reading
Planning Institute of Jamaica. Economic and Social Survey, Jamaica. Annual.—Survey of Living Conditions. Annual
Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Statistical Abstract. Annual.—Demographic Statistics. Annual.—Production Statistics. Annual
Boyd, D., Economic Management, Income Distribution, and Poverty in Jamaica. Praeger Publishers, Westport (CT), 1988
Hart, R., Towards Decolonisation: Political, Labour and Economic Developments in Jamaica 1938–1945. Univ. of the West Indies Press, Kingston, 1999
Henke, H. W. and Mills, D., Between Self-Determination and Dependency: Jamaica’s Foreign Relations 1972–1989. Univ.of the West Indies Press, Kingston, 2000
Ingram, K. E., Jamaica. [Bibliography] 2nd ed. ABC-Clio, Oxford and Santa Barbara (CA). 1997
National library: National Library of Jamaica, Kingston.
National statistical office: Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), POB 643, Kingston 5. Director General, Sonia Jackson.
Website: http://www.statinja.com
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© 2005 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
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Turner, B. (2005). Jamaica. In: Turner, B. (eds) The Statesman’s Yearbook. The Statesman’s Yearbook. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230271340_193
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230271340_193
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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