Social And Social Problems In The 20th Century

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In the years of 1900-1985 during the 20th century, there were many social and economic conditions that were present in the Caribbean society. These conditions negatively affected the Caribbean. Measures were also implemented to improve such conditions. Some of the various social problems that were present were overpopulation, malnutrition, lack of housing, public utilities, diseases, lack of medical care and transport. Overpopulation or overcrowding occurred in various villages or communities because of the lack of housing and also of the lack of education; people kept having children and with this being a key factor to overpopulation. At early 20th century, people began migrating from rural areas to more urbanized settlements. This however…show more content…
Bad sanitation, filthy water, poor housing, unclean environment and overcrowded homes were the main reasons for diseases in the 20th century. Diseases were rampant. There was a terrifying list of common diseases. Some of which were typhoid, yellow fever, malaria, dysentery, tetanus, hookworm, yaws, tuberculosis and cholera. At the start of the 20th century the average life expectancy was low as 50 years in the Caribbean. The single most important cause of death in adults was tuberculosis which is caused by and overcrowding housing. Malaria, yaws and venereal diseases were widespread. Hookworm disease affected people in every district. Hookworm bred where there was poor sanitation but was caught mostly by children and adults who had no shoes. The worst thing about malaria, yaws and hookworm was that they led to weakness which could last for life. Some surveys showed that hardly anyone of the working population was freed from such diseases. Poor sanitation helped worsen the situation. There was a lack of running water and improper sewage facilities in most of the areas. There was a high infant mortality rate. 137 out of every 1000 infants did not live to see age one or…show more content…
Large numbers of the West Indies simply never saw a doctor. Most doctors did not want to live in the rural districts. Even in the towns labourers could not afford their fees. Only the ones who had no chance of earning anything at all were given any medical help. Transport however was another factor. Every country had at least one airport and one port at the time. In the early years the means of transportation was animal transportation, with this being carts, (drawn by horses, bulls and bison.) Cars, lorries, trucks and buses were present at the time. Some people still used bicycles and their feet because some of them could not afford the fees to travel. Like -wise there were also economic conditions present in the Caribbean in 1900 to 1985. Some of these being mainly, unemployment, working conditions, lack of education and the cost of living. Unemployment was one of the major problems in the Caribbean. Unemployment was very high. The fact that most people received low wages was made worse by the irregular, seasonal employment. Most persons were unemployed because work on the plantations was seasonal leaving some persons
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