A Unique Central American Oasis?
Colonial Belize. - (BBC, 2022)
The British Empire was the largest empire in world history. It expanded to every corner of the earth. This level of power meant remnants of its regime existed in places as remote and small as the beautiful and tourist-heavy nation of Belize in Central America. This small nation is surrounded by countries ideologically, linguistically, religiously, and culturally different from itself. This has meant it has often had difficulty integrating with its region and remains one of history's most interesting geographical and political situations to date. The story of British Honduras and its later transition to Belize, and why today it is a country known for its Anglo-centric travelers and its lonely geopolitical situation is one laden with peculiarity.
British Honduras began, like many other colonial regions, through conflict. This conflict would first be between the Spanish and the English (later resolved by the Spanish cession of the region to the UK in the Treaty with Spain in 1783 at Versailles) and later between the Mexicans, Mayans, and British Empire. At first, English settlements in the region were remote and relatively small until the discovery of mahogany and other mineral resources (JSTOR, 2024). Its unique geographic position also made it strategic for the British Caribbean colonies to trade with it and mainland Central America. As the British continued to profit from the region, a former establishment of a colonial zone was made in 1862, a decision that sparked outrage from Mexico City and the local Mayan populations and would not be resolved truly until British authorities gave self-rule in the 60s.
This outrage eventually led to modern-day issues in Belize's unique geopolitical situation. It was not related to other colonies in the region. In contrast, while some of its people spoke Spanish, a remnant of previous Spanish colonization in the region, or spoke Maya, a consistent cultural partition that existed in the nation; most of its population spoke English, used a different currency, and aligned with other nations within the Commonwealth of Nations and the USA. Not to mention, isolation was also caused by constant border disputes between Mexico and Guatemala."...heavy pressure on Washington to mediate Guatemala's claim that British Honduras is part of its national territory" (The Atlantic, 1966). Some of these disputes were so close to all-out conflict that the USA and UN often had to broker and mediate the situation. Even the British were unclear of the region's future by the 1960s, when many believed it would join Guatemala (The Atlantic, 1966).
History did not play out as such. British Honduras made it through the 60s without independence, although governed independently. It gained independence in 1981, likely due to "British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, it is safe to assume, was thinking more about the urban riots plaguing the nation than the tribulations of a country with a population of less than half a million on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean." (JSTOR, 2024). While insignificant for the British, this moment was enormous for the region. It signaled the true end to colonial rule in Central America.
In the following decades, Belize would become a prominent tourist destination for the American and British elites. "...the nation skipped a "modernist" era completely, transforming from an obscure backwater into a post-modernist hub for tourists in search of "authenticity." (JSTOR, 2024). This transition meant Belize could transition to a young democracy relatively quickly and has maintained this democracy despite consistent deterioration in the countries around it. "...a prism through which to view the development of Belize, which has emerged as something of an exception in Central America. In a region where rulers are embracing authoritarian tactics, Belize has developed into a relatively stable (albeit young) parliamentary democracy with a history of peaceful transitions of power." (NYT, 2024). This status, its unique history, and its profitable and positive political perspective on the globe meant Belize today is a country isolated in its region but connected outside to the USA and the British Commonwealth. Despite recent anti-UK movements against British colonial rule in the country, which traumatized and severely damaged the native populations of the region for Mahogany production and also participated in the horrific transatlantic slave trade, many Belizean people recollect British rule with more fondness than other colonial regions which experienced prolonged violence and independence wars (Reuters, 2023). This can be seen through its steadfast acceptance of the British Monarchy in Belize and, despite threats of changing to a Republic, a loyal ally in Britain's leave of the EU. This relative peace with its former colonial owner has meant that Belize can also not connect to the violent colonial pasts of its neighbors in the same way, meaning it is ideologically separate as well.
Belize got a relatively peaceful end to empire, a near weatherproof capital of Belmopan, the global power of the English language, a prosperous economy on tourism, and a stable democracy, meaning quite literally it has become a sort of "gem" in Central America for foreigners (NYT, 2024). Belize is a country that had a very traditional start to colonial rule, fraught with slavery, violence, and mass segregation of the local peoples and inbound enslaved Africans. However, modernized British policies in the 19th/20th centuries and a ban on the slave trade in the British Empire meant its importance as a colonial region died down, as well as its need for violent suppression by the English aristocracy. This turn meant a slow but gradual change to peaceful independence in the 80s, a strong economy and democracy, a British monarch in power, and, besides Costa Rica, one of the best human rights records in Central America. Belize is a country of many unique situations. This may isolate it in its region, but makes it favorable for Western Developments. This tiny Central American country subsequently punches heavily above its weight, supporting not only its rich Mayan history but also its very diverse current ethnic makeup, resulting in a nation highly diverse, economically viable, and peaceful. In Central America, those characteristics can be challenging to ascertain amidst democratic backsliding, mass cartel violence, and war. So, for those reasons, Belize will continue to push forward to the beat of its own Anglophile and Mayan steps.
Bibliography
“An Apology for the Cession of the Bay Islands by Great Britain to Honduras.” 1860. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1860/07/10/archives/an-apology-for-the-cession-of-the-bay-islands-by-great-britain-to.html (March 22, 2024).
Belize PM signals possible break with British monarchy, the Guardian ... https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/belize-pm-signals-possible-break-with-british-monarchy-guardian-2023-05-04/ (March 22, 2024c).
“Belize.” U.S. Department of State. https://history.state.gov/countries/belize (March 22, 2024).
Belize: On the way to somewhere - jstor daily. https://daily.jstor.org/belize-on-the-way-to-somewhere/ (March 22, 2024a).
“British Honduras.” 2022. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1966/01/british-honduras/659644/ (March 22, 2024).
“Railroad Map of British Honduras.” The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021668493/ (March 22, 2024).
Romero, Simon, and Alejandro Cegarra. 2024. “A Boring Capital for a Young Democracy. Just the Way Residents like It.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/world/americas/belize-belmopan-capital.html (March 22, 2024).
“Slavery and Justice Researcher’s New Book Chronicles 19th Century Slavery and Empire.” 2024. Brown University. https://www.brown.edu/news/2020-06-29/trouble (March 22, 2024).
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