Globalization

- "Have I given you the impression that the Antigua I grew up in revolved almost completely around England? Well, that was so. I met the world through England, and if the world wanted to meet me it would have to be through England." (Pg. 33)

- Many of the scenes in the film Life and Debt were centralized around how much Jamaica relies on outside countries and organizations. (e.g. the ex Prime Ministers speech about the IMF and the rules that apply to a country when they seek help from those organizations.) Also, how many other countries contribute to small amounts of success that don't out weight the troubles.

These two passages represent different aspects of globalization. The passage from Jamaica Kincaid's book represent globalization 2.0 and 3.0. In globalization 2.0, slavery had been abolished but it only made way for Imperialism. The British empire (along with other European countries and America) were still profiting off the work of their colonized countries. Although there might be a new found sense of "freedom" in countries, they still work for the colonizers. It is significant that she says "if the world wanted to meet me, it would have to do so through England" because there is still strong ties to England. There isn't enough resources for her to have access to the rest of the world. However, because England is so powerful, people have access to her, and her country. I do not think anything can erase your country's history, especially when the presence of that country lingers through your everyday life. The freedom of your home country is not always the equivalent to personal freedom.

The scenes from Life and Debt relate very well to globalization 3.0. The IMF was created with globalization in mind. However, for smaller countries it is very hard to be self-sufficient, especially when they've received their independence in the last half century. After the independency of many countries, they were left with the mess that their colonizers made. In Jamaica like Antigua, England had a huge interest in natural resources (sugar, bananas, etc.) When Jamaica gained it's independence however sugar was being produced all over the world and becoming much more common. This left Jamaica with very little to export. The irony of the IMF being involved in these developing companies is that they don't really help them out as much as they let on. Receiving a small loan leaves only temporary (in this case very temporary) relief. The money can't go where the IMF intends it to because the small countries need it for other things too.

The prevalence of England, or western powers in these two passages make one realize how much power resumes in a country even after they have left. Sometimes it's unclear even if they are better off with or without the colonizing country. If anything has been made obvious with the book or the film it's that colonization has had serious consequences on the people it has effected. Whether it is in the Jamaica or Antigua's past or their present, the effects of colonization still impact countries today.