First Published in 2015. This book places in firm historical perspective the roots of Caribbean dependency, highlighting the ways in which the region has been and continues to be a pawn in Great Power politics and economics. The past is both haunting and daunting, seriously hampering the region's capacity to pursue an autonomous path. The author develops his argument by focusing on how politics, economics and race have shaped Caribbean history and contemporary life. Discussions and analysis include examples from the Anglophone, Spanish, French and Dutch speaking Caribbean islands and countries. Thompson also attempts to provide prescriptions that would free the region from the shackles of the past and place the countries on the path to independence.