Slavery, Smallholding and Tourism: Social Transformations in the British Virgin Islands

This book explores the political economy of development in the British Virgin Islands — from plantations, through the evolution of a smallholding economy, to the rise of tourism. The study argues that the demise of plantation economy in the BVI ushered in a century of imperial disinterest persisting until recently, when a new “monocrop” — tourism — became ascendant. Using an historical and anthropological approach, O’Neal shows how the trend toward reliance on tourism and other dependent industries affects many BVIslanders — called the “Belongers” — in ways that echo their historical and economic heritage.

Part of the Classic Dissertation Series from Quid Pro, the book adds a new Foreword by Vassar’s Colleen Ballerino Cohen and additional commentary by UC-Irvine’s Bill Maurer, who shows how even the emergence of a financial services industry may be understood through the insights that O’Neal presents in his study.