Brennan Mc Intyre Upper 6 Science Caribbean Studies With the use of examples discuss the extent to which you agree with this statement. "The ideal way to describe the Caribbean is by using political and historical definitions" Thesis Statement: The ideal way to define the Caribbean is by using political, historical, geological and geographical definitions The aforementioned statement regarding the delimitation of the Caribbean emphatically advocates the political and historical definers of the Caribbean, labelling them as ideal , while insinuating that geological and geographical delimitations are not relevant as the historical and political definitions would suffice. As the Caribbean is a broad spectrum of land and sea, the political and historical denotations of the Caribbean are inadequate as many countries that are in fact Caribbean countries are excluded or other countries are wrongfully included by these definers. This therefore means that the ideal way to define the Caribbean is by using the geological, historical, political and geographical definitions of the Caribbean. Each of the four major definitions of the Caribbean have discrepancies as they either include non Caribbean countries or exclude Caribbean countries either individually or joint with another. However, the Caribbean is an aggregate of the aspects of these definers which intersect with each other thereby excluding falsely acknowledged countries and including Caribbean countries that other definitions may not include. It can therefore be deduced that the statement is not entirely accurate as there are discrepancies in the combined historical and political definitions which the geological and geographical definition would eradicate if included. When demarcating the Caribbean on a geographic basis, the concept of a 'Caribbean Basin' is used, where the central identifying feature is the Caribbean sea with an archipelago of island and mainland territories of Central and South America at the perimeter of the sea. Hence, the traditional geographic definition of the Caribbean refers to 'lands washed by the Caribbean Sea' or the 'West Indies' and the surrounding main land territories. The second geographic way to define the Caribbean is by using coordinates such as lines of latitude and longitude. This Caribbean Region stretches from 60°W to 90°W of the Greenwich Meridian establishing the width of the region and approximately 5° N of the equator near Guyana to beyond 25° N and sometimes to 30°N. The extension to 30° N includes Bermuda hence a more suitable northern cut off would be at 23 and a half degrees. This definition however, entails many discrepancies, as Mexico is washed by the Caribbean sea and does not consider itself a Caribbean country and countries such as Barbados, Guyana and the Bahamas located proximate to the Atlantic ocean are excluded.
Furthermore, geological philosophy has been used in attempt to accurately define the Caribbean region where the defining natural phenomena such as the Caribbean plate is used. This deep seated structural feature of Caribbean Geology also identifies commonalities and entail countries which experience similar tectonic, seismic and volcanic features and processes. This subterranean feature is part of the earth's crust with overlaying lands and seas and is bounded by plate margins. The tectonic activity of the Caribbean plate refers to the earth movements that influence and impacts the topography of the earth's surface hence impacting human beings directly or indirectly. This fact deems the geological entity of the Caribbean relevant however it is also incomprehensive as it does not include Guyana, The Bahamas and much of Cuba. The historical Caribbean describes the area that saw the impact of European colonization, slavery, indentureship and the plantation system. To expatiate, The historical Definer includes occupation of the area by the indigenous peoples, European exploration and settlement, genocide and war waged against the indigenes, African slavery and Indian indentureship, colonialism, the development of the plantation economy and plantation society, independence and the forging of a free society out of such experiences. These components, however endorses perplexity, as the entire new world referred to as Latin America, (Central and South America and the Caribbean) experienced all or most of these processes. This therefore makes this definition incomprehensive even thought it entails all Caribbean countries, it is an aggregate of all the countries of Latin America. This example however, includes all of Cuba, Barbados Guyana and the Bahamas which the geographical and geological definers exclude. The Political Caribbean consists of complex political relationships. In the Caribbean at least three types of governmental systems are found. They include Independent States, Associated States and Colonial Dependencies. Independent States are former colonies which are now self-governing. These consists of islands that have chosen alternative methods of governance that is different from there colonial masters. Associated States are territories which are not independent but enjoy all the rights and privileges of the country that governs it. Colonial Dependencies are territories which are directly governed by other countries but do not enjoy the rights and privileges that's enjoyed by inhabitants in an associated state. This definition entails the independent states of Central and South America including countries that are not Caribbean countries. This therefore means that the combination of all four delimitations to define the Caribbean Region is the most accurate way once all similarities are extracted and used from each definition.
