Guns, gangs and garrison communities in the politics of Jamaica
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2357440 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kevin Edmonds |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 54-74 |
| Publication date | 2016-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Race & Class (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0306-3968 • E-ISSN: 1741-3125 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/0306396815624864 |
| OpenAlex | W2323842808 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 13 |
| References cited | 7 |
While traditional political rivalry in Jamaica can be traced back to pre-independence times, modern-day Jamaican politics have been overshadowed by Kingston's influential 'garrison communities'. In order to establish and maintain political dominance in key constituencies, the loyalty of impoverished but highly influential gangsters in Kingston's ghettos was secured by the main political parties through the development of large scale, highly politicised and heavily armed public housing schemes - essentially operating as states within a state. This article examines the roots of Jamaica's current crime epidemic, revealing that it is not just a story of drugs, gangs and guns, but has deeper connections to the CIA, the Cold War, and the efforts to marginalise the 1970s democratic socialist government of Michael Manley and his People's National Party. Manley's convincing electoral victory in 1972 deeply troubled the United States, as his open commitment to democratic socialism, implementing moderately progressive policies like the minimum wage and free education, and his close friendship with Fidel Castro placed Jamaica firmly in the crosshairs for American covert operations
Covert · Democracy · Economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Rivalry · Sociology · Victory · Caribbean history, culture, and politics · Cuban History and Society · Law · Urban and Rural Development Challenges
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| Citations per year | 1.63 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2018 - 2025 (8) |
| Highly cited | No |