During the recently held Maroon celebrations commemorating the signing of the peace treaty with and “victory” over the British, the leader of Jamaica’s Maroons was reported as saying that he plans to pursue sovereignty for the Maroon communities on the island.
I am not sure what sense of grandeur went up his head, but I can tell him straight off the bat that he should just drop that idea.
First of all, I still cannot see what kind of victory the Maroons keep celebrating every year. The British were very excellent imperial administrators. During the 18th century, they realised that they could not defeat the Maroons by military means. However, they also knew that wars don’t have to be won on the battlefield alone.
The primary objectives of Great Britain in warring with the Maroons was to keep Jamaica in the empire, restore some semblance of order on the island and make Jamaica a colony that would generate wealth for Britain. Fighting the Maroons wouldn’t help that. So, the British gave them some semblance of self-government, thus achieving peace and the objectives. This was more a British victory and surely not a Maroon one.
Anyway, back to this plan for a sovereign Maroon state. I wonder how the leader of Jamaica’s Maroons plans to sustain such a sovereign state. What will that state’s main exports be? His state would need a civil service. How will the Maroons pay for that — taxes? He mentioned something about a sovereign Maroon state taking full control of its police force. How does he plan to have that force funded?
You know, small nations like ours are hardly feasible. How much less feasible will the sovereign Maroon state be, with only a few thousand people and a few thousand acres? Maybe such a tribal “state” could have barely managed in centuries past; but these are modern times. Countries these days are coming together, not splitting up.
I would urge the leader of the Maroons to ditch his plan of seeking to dismember the Jamaican state. He should be happy that the Maroon community already has a unique place in Jamaica’s history and culture.
Michael A Dingwall
michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com
I am not sure what sense of grandeur went up his head, but I can tell him straight off the bat that he should just drop that idea.
First of all, I still cannot see what kind of victory the Maroons keep celebrating every year. The British were very excellent imperial administrators. During the 18th century, they realised that they could not defeat the Maroons by military means. However, they also knew that wars don’t have to be won on the battlefield alone.
The primary objectives of Great Britain in warring with the Maroons was to keep Jamaica in the empire, restore some semblance of order on the island and make Jamaica a colony that would generate wealth for Britain. Fighting the Maroons wouldn’t help that. So, the British gave them some semblance of self-government, thus achieving peace and the objectives. This was more a British victory and surely not a Maroon one.
Anyway, back to this plan for a sovereign Maroon state. I wonder how the leader of Jamaica’s Maroons plans to sustain such a sovereign state. What will that state’s main exports be? His state would need a civil service. How will the Maroons pay for that — taxes? He mentioned something about a sovereign Maroon state taking full control of its police force. How does he plan to have that force funded?
You know, small nations like ours are hardly feasible. How much less feasible will the sovereign Maroon state be, with only a few thousand people and a few thousand acres? Maybe such a tribal “state” could have barely managed in centuries past; but these are modern times. Countries these days are coming together, not splitting up.
I would urge the leader of the Maroons to ditch his plan of seeking to dismember the Jamaican state. He should be happy that the Maroon community already has a unique place in Jamaica’s history and culture.
Michael A Dingwall
michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com