Republicanism in Barbados
Discussion
Came across a wiki article.
''Barbados is transitioning from a parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the hereditary monarch of Barbados (currently Queen Elizabeth II) to a parliamentary republic with a ceremonial elected president as head of state. ''
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/22/1048403692/barbados...
Seems like a good step forward really, wonder if any others will be doing the same. Can't find any stories in British press about it.
''Barbados is transitioning from a parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the hereditary monarch of Barbados (currently Queen Elizabeth II) to a parliamentary republic with a ceremonial elected president as head of state. ''
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/22/1048403692/barbados...
Seems like a good step forward really, wonder if any others will be doing the same. Can't find any stories in British press about it.
The Spruce Goose said:
''"The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind", PM Mia Mottley announced.''
Seems fair. I don't get how a monarch still exists in these times really, but maybe things will change for the better one day.
I guess when a better alternative is believed to exist by the citizens, other countries will do the same thing.Seems fair. I don't get how a monarch still exists in these times really, but maybe things will change for the better one day.
Getragdogleg said:
Nothing to do with China then ? Or Barbados signing up to the"belt and road" initiative...
They threw $25 blillion at Nigeria. Not sure I'd have suggested that. The oil reserves might well be headed towards full production soon. I'm sure that's fabulous news for the delta communities. I didn't realise that were signing up Caribbean islands. South America next?
Derek Smith said:
Getragdogleg said:
Nothing to do with China then ? Or Barbados signing up to the"belt and road" initiative...
They threw $25 blillion at Nigeria. Not sure I'd have suggested that. The oil reserves might well be headed towards full production soon. I'm sure that's fabulous news for the delta communities. I didn't realise that were signing up Caribbean islands. South America next?
Dicky Knee said:
Derek Smith said:
Getragdogleg said:
Nothing to do with China then ? Or Barbados signing up to the"belt and road" initiative...
They threw $25 blillion at Nigeria. Not sure I'd have suggested that. The oil reserves might well be headed towards full production soon. I'm sure that's fabulous news for the delta communities. I didn't realise that were signing up Caribbean islands. South America next?
By becoming the workshop of the world the world sent lots of money to China, money they will now use to buy up vast chunks of the most resource rich but poorly governed areas.
Media control, divide and conquer, technology domination and cutting off supply of chips and other things the west no longer makes is just the tip of this.
China has sold us the rope to hang ourselves.
Getragdogleg said:
Trouble is the west have become too comfortable with believing that they are top dogs, China has played a blinder over the last decade or so.
By becoming the workshop of the world the world sent lots of money to China, money they will now use to buy up vast chunks of the most resource rich but poorly governed areas.
Media control, divide and conquer, technology domination and cutting off supply of chips and other things the west no longer makes is just the tip of this.
China has sold us the rope to hang ourselves.
There used to be various places in the City where there were free/cheap lectures from various dignitaries, including those with a 'different' view to history, finance or politics. They started a little after I knocked off from early turn.By becoming the workshop of the world the world sent lots of money to China, money they will now use to buy up vast chunks of the most resource rich but poorly governed areas.
Media control, divide and conquer, technology domination and cutting off supply of chips and other things the west no longer makes is just the tip of this.
China has sold us the rope to hang ourselves.
On one, someone from a political 'think tank' was discussing American imperialism, so I thought perhaps a little left of centre. But he spread his criticisms wide, and it seemed a bit neutral overall. One particular point, well supported by examples and OHP slides, was suggesting British imperialism was bad for those subjected, and bad for the vast majority of the population of the oppressors.
Much of ‘our’ riches didn’t come to ‘us’, and our empire cost us considerably more than we ever got out of it. I assumed, incorrectly, that the ‘we’ included the middle class and the plebs, like me. His suggestion was it was everyone.
Financial crises, wars, other forms of suppression, and so much else. He was selling a book, but I didn’t have enough on me, so ordered it from the library.
He was of the opinion, this in the late 70s, that the main imperial power was the US, and listed their ‘acquisitions’, having to refer to his notes for the final two, although that might have been an act.
Off-topic:
Other talks have stuck in my mind and have, remarkably, been proved prophetic. There was one on the slave trades around the world, particularly the Barbary Coast mob. He pointed out that, in the main, the British traders didn’t enslave anyone, just took them off those of their countrymen who’d gone out to grab them. I wasn't sure that absolved the slave trading ships though. Nowadays the person would have been de-platformed, but there was little argument against his POV of slavery being the normal situation for the world.
There was one chap who’d volunteered to drive an HGV loaded with food and charity donations to ‘some’ refugees in sub-Saharan Africa. The chap was as common as muck, or me come to that, but his voice was full of his adventures. His was a slides presentation, and covered with anecdotes and feelings. We saw a beautiful continent, with wonderful skies, especially at night. Vast areas of proper wilderness. A ‘Zulu’ running along a hillock in the evening. There were images of the group around a camp fire, with the vehicles arranged like a wagon train (I wonder if they did do it that way?). Laagered he called it.
After these stunning vistas, he abruptly showed a photo of the convoy entering a refugee camp, with starving kids, many barely able to stand, just sort of being there, in rags. All hope gone was his accurate-seeming description. Then another image, and another, each worse, if possible, than the preceding one. There were people crying in the audience.
It seems the ‘some’ I mentioned earlier was, probably, millions.
He was collecting for another convoy. No one backed away.
Eric Mc said:
They always are. But I was waiting for some sort of relevance to Republicanism in Barbados.
Ireland went down this route between 1921 and 1947.
It doesn't have to have any relevance provided he can tell his stories; I particularly liked the one about condoning & partaking in corruption but that's getting off topic.Ireland went down this route between 1921 and 1947.
Barbadian taste for becoming a republic is very much in keeping with the modern world but I'd caution them to not throw the baby out with the bathwater- they might want to think about preserving the more dignified traditions.
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