Self-government development in Jamaica

The study deals with the historical background to self-government development in Jamaica, the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea. The author elaborates on the periodization of this process which has not been discussed yet in Russian historiography. The research traced the evolution of power institutions and people’s political rights at every colonial stage until Jamaica became independent in 1962. The author concluded that the development of Jamaica’s self-government system was characterized by general trends typical for British colonies, on the one hand, and the unique practices, on the other hand, which proved that the British Empire was ready to meet the challenges of that time in a flexible and effective manner. This was confirmed by the recognition of Maroon autonomy in the western and eastern parts of the island. Jamaica remained a British colony in both nominal and cultural sense since it had much in common with the English culture rather than the American one. Such historical experience demonstrates that it is possible to adapt political and legal institutions for the evolving conditions of a multicultural society and create a sustainable development model in this regard.