We live in a dog-eat-dog world. Who are the cannibals of the Caribbean? If your answer is the Caribs- you are wrong on two counts. First, you are politically incorrect- the Caribs were rightly called Kalinagos. Second, contrary to popular belief- they were not man-eaters. This was a label placed on them. The real cannibals of the Caribbean are globalists. Globalists suck the very life and identity out of the Caribbean. Globalization is camouflaged in the beauty of free trade, opportunity and unity. But under this façade, globalization has the power to dismantle the Caribbean as we know it. Now more than ever, attempts at Caribbean integration should be heightened to fight this cunning predator.

The Caribbean has flirted with globalization. The diaspora, being a part of the United Nations, loans from the IMF, and the Americanization of the Caribbean are evidence of this mingling. The Caribbean has also engaged in integration as noted in the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA).

Globalization is a shrinking, borderless world. It entails the meeting of the many economies and cultures of the world. It calls for oneness. But there can be harm in harmony. Caribbean integration is the merging of Caribbean territories. Truly, Caribbean integration and globalization are similar, but their difference makes all the difference. Both entail a merging. Globalization is merging on a large scale. This compression creates a smaller entity. Caribbean integration is a merging on a small scale. Like integration in mathematical calculus, its aim is to add smaller pieces to find the whole. It produces a larger entity as a result.

Globalization calls for the removal of borders. We can hate President Donald Trump for his wall but walls make for good neighbourhood relationships. With Caribbean integration, walls are removed with discretion and replaced with low fences. The next step in the integration process is the removal of those fences. With globalization, walls are removed often without hesitation. In an international context, before walls are removed the question on why they were built must first be asked. This does not necessarily apply to the Caribbean region. This is because globalization perforates many distinct cultures and economies whereas Caribbean integration builds on the similarities of the cultures of Caribbean territories.  

The Caribbean is mainly made up of small island developing states (SIDS). Of course, ‘developing’ is a euphemism for Third World. While these labels have their place, helping to gauge where we are on the global charts, they open the door to comparing civilizations. This door should never be opened as civilizations are unique. Globalization is a key to unlocking this door.

Even so, it would be foolish to deny that there is room for improvement in the Caribbean. Growth is necessary for the Caribbean to reach its full potential. Social, political, economic, environmental and cultural factors affect development. Globalization has a huge impact on these factors. This impact will thus sound in the development or under-development of the Caribbean. 

In a social context, globalization increases poverty, inequality, unemployment and crime. Globalization increases disparity. This is especially true as the interests of the larger countries take precedence over those of smaller ones. The Caribbean shuns inequality because we have seen the ugly effects of its exercise in slavery, indentureship and colonialism. As cultures come together in globalization, juxtaposition may well be inevitable- even if this practice is wrong. This comparison can propel racial tension. The Caribbean is already diverse and has overcome much racial division. Still, there are racist undertones and in countries such as Guyana where there is high racial polarity- globalization will do more harm than good. As barriers in tariffs and screening are removed, free trade will be achieved. However, Pandora’s box will also be opened and terrorism, drug cartels and prostitution will increase. Crime is already a difficult problem in the Caribbean. Therefore, globalization is not suited for the Caribbean context. 

Politically, globalization fosters conflict. Coming together from different backgrounds, every country will have different perspectives. Look no further than Cuba and America to get an example of this. America refused to trade with Cuba because of its socialist inclinations. Grenada had a similar experience when it experimented with socialism. With so many political ideologies, it is difficult to find a middle ground without starting a World War. Though the ideologies of the Caribbean may differ, our shared geography and history can help to overcome these differences. Even so, it has been established that even with Caribbean integration, individual territories retain control over their own governmental affairs. 

Economically, globalization encourages crony capitalism, fluctuating dollars, inflation, crashing markets and recessions. With globalization, Caribbean territories run the risk of financial instability as the value of their dollars will depend on the value of the superpowers’ currencies. Entrepreneurship is the fuel of Caribbean small economies. While globalization can foster entrepreneurship, it has the power to destroy small businesses due to high competition. Have we learnt from Caroni 1975 or the collapse of the cocoa industry? Experimentation with industrialisation by invitation has taught us many lessons on the dangers of globalization. 

Globalization affects the environment. The Caribbean makes boast in landscapes that are unlike those around the globe. Globalization walks hand in hand with industrialisation. It is no surprise that industrialisation has a negative impact on the environment. Industrialisation changes the landscape and can alter the Caribbean we know and love. Even though tourism, a manifestation of globalization, maximises on the Caribbean landscape- it aids in the degradation of the landscape. Dying coral reefs are evidence of this. With globalization, we must also nod at environmental policies, however absurd, or risk exclusion from the global lunch table.  

What’s more, surrendering to globalization comes at a price. The Caribbean must sell its face for globalization. In a globalized world, the Caribbean must instead don a Eurocentric, androcentric mask and dance to the beat of the superpowers’ drums. We become puppets in a globalized world. This opposes what it means to be Caribbean. To be Caribbean is to be natural, to embrace oneself, to be confident. The Caribbean uplifts minorities. Caribbean integration has the potential to dilute individuality but globalization has the power to erase it. Caribbean integration is a means of retention of common Caribbean culture. Acculturation is damaging to the Caribbean multicultural society. The Caribbean is conservative and globalization will thrust the Caribbean in a highly liberal setting. Adaptation may prove to be very difficult and breed conflict within and without the individual territories. 

Globalization’s cons far outweigh its pros. The corruption we know so well is on steroids in a globalized setting. Caribbean integration is the better alternative. Our similarities help to glue us together. Globalization will not only stunt the growth of the Caribbean- it may very well kill it. The superpowers are guilty of standpoint epistemology and may act in their own interests. Globalization is the imperialist attempt at gaining control over territories once more.

The Dependency Theory is such that the industrialised, developed countries perpetually exploit the periphery, developing nations. Taking from symbiotic biology, I see globalization as perpetuating parasitic relationships. Parasitic relationships are such that one organism benefits while the other is harmed. By the Dependency Theory, superpowers feed off the smaller nations to strengthen themselves.

The Caribbean is largely comprised of small island developing states. We are prawns in a sea of sharks, but we have strength in numbers. Israel, for example, is a key player in world affairs and has only a population of 8.55 million. As a block, we are 44.42 million strong. Feeding Frenzy, a videogame, illustrates this perfectly. In this game, the player starts off as a small fish and must fight for survival. As the game progresses, the small fish grows to eventually become the apex predator. So too, the Caribbean may be small now, but we can be at the top of the food chain if we join forces. We may be the underdogs today but tomorrow we can be at the top if we work in solidarity. For the sake of development, the Caribbean would be smart to integrate with one another and not join the shrinking world.  Doing so, may seem contradictory- but as I will soon show- this ‘rebellion’ of sorts, is the newest trend. 

What does Brexit and Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ tell us? It tells us that nationalism is on the rise. Nationalism puts the interest of the individual country above the interests of other countries. It purports control over an individual country without outside interference. In effect, it is the antithesis of globalization. Though globalization has been trending, the tide is turning. I cannot say if this tide will break sooner or later, as tensions around the globe can swing in any direction. All countries are, to an extent, guilty of nationalism. Nationalism and regionalism need not contradict each other. From a nationalist perspective, between regionalism and globalization, the former is the lesser of two evils. But regionalism for the Caribbean territories need not even be evil. The Caribbean is largely comprised of a chain of small islands. The total area of the Caribbean is 2.75 million km squared. The total area of the superpower, China, is 9.59 million km squared. In this light, the Caribbean would function better as a block. We would have more clout. I’ve always viewed the Caribbean as a family- with a common ancestry and a distinct geographical home. The family is the basic social group in society. The Caribbean is a basic group in the world. Caribbean integration gives us a voice we would never have in a globalized setting.

 I oppose globalisation because we should determine our own affairs. I am not oblivious to the fact that there may be conflict within the ‘Caribbean block’. History shows that there has been conflict among Caribbean territories with respect to integration. The West Indian Federation (WIF) fell apart because of mistrust-a sibling rivalry of sorts. The ‘big boys’- Trinidad and Jamaica did not want to pull the weight of the other territories. These other territories felt that their interests would not be served as Trinidad and Jamaica would make decisions to subserve their own agendas. 

 But indeed, what family does not have conflict? Conflict makes relationships stronger. Conflict makes us smarter. Conflict makes us resilient. Indeed, the collapse of the WIF ushered in stronger integrating bodies. Families ought to stick together.

 Caribbean integration may also seem like a college safe space. Safe spaces have been critiqued for encouraging fragility; producing adults who cannot cope with adversity. While regionalism may seem like a bubble within the globalist agenda, it does come with challenges. These challenges are training ground for foreign relations’ issues and such.  We must overcome the little things that keep us apart; that polarise us and unite. Either way, Caribbean integration has proved successful. The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) are only two of the many examples of this. 

   We live in a dog-eat-dog world. Halting Caribbean integration and encouraging globalization is akin to abandoning the safety of a cave and venturing out into the wild. This is never a good idea. Efforts at Caribbean integration are thus more important today than they ever were. I believe that regionalism- a territorial nationalism- is more beneficial to the individual territories than globalization. The bubble we live in may eventually burst as globalization is the spirit of the age. Still, to even match up to the superpowers, we must stand together. The Caribbean is rife with potential and this should be nurtured- not preyed upon. Can you see it? History is repeating itself right before our eyes. But we can determine our outcome. This is not the 17^th century anymore. May we choose for ourselves!