The fall of the planter class in the British Caribbean (1763-1833)

Lowell J. Ragatz book, originally published in 1928, was the starting point for many who were interested in the English-speaking Caribbean. His arguments, that sugar production in the West Indies was in decline due to poor agricultural practices and trade monopolies were later contested by the likes of Eric Williams. It continues to garner interest as a recent issue of the Atlantic Studies (March 2012) demonstrated.

Not all sections of this book are relevant to Jamaican history and the chapter on Tropical Agriculture must be considered to have dated. Some of Ragatz views demonstrated in the chapter on the Caribbean society in the eighteenth century didn't stand the test of time much either. It is his work on the trade aspects that remains fairly current as does his chapter on the abolition movements.

In the back of the book, Ragatz included a large number of useful statistical data, much of it related to the sugar-trade between Britain and Jamaica. The book also contains a detail bibliography detailing the wealth of primary source material used by the author (having already published a detailed guide). Frank Cundall, the archivist at then Institute of Jamaica (now National Library of Jamaica) was referred to on a number occasions.

Catalog reference and text here: http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001314349