How did the end of plantation agriculture shape Anguilla’s culture and society?

The end of plantation agriculture in Anguilla significantly diverged from the experience of many other Caribbean islands, fundamentally shaping the island's social structure. Due to thin soil and inadequate rainfall, sugar production on Anguilla was less profitable than elsewhere, leading to the departure of European-descended planters following the emancipation of enslaved people in 1834.12

As these planters migrated, their lands were either purchased or taken over by the formerly enslaved population. This transition prevented the development of a society dominated by a large, landless laboring class dependent on wage labor, which became the norm in other parts of the region. Instead, Anguilla evolved into a society characterized by small farmers, sailors, and fishermen. This shift fostered a culture defined by a high degree of personal independence and the creation of a close-knit community, a social legacy that persists in the island's culture today.1