Editing Jamaica (section)

===Post-independence era===
{{Main|Independence of Jamaica}}
Strong economic growth, averaging approximately 6% per year, marked the first ten years of independence under conservative JLP governments; these were led by successive Prime Ministers Alexander Bustamante, [[Donald Sangster]] (who died of natural causes within two months of taking office) and [[Hugh Shearer]].<ref name="EBJH"/> The growth was fuelled by high levels of private investment in [[bauxite]]/[[alumina]], [[tourism]], the manufacturing industry and, to a lesser extent, the agricultural sector. In the [[1967 Jamaican general election]], the JLP were victorious again, winning 33 out of 53 seats, with the PNP taking 20 seats.<ref name="Dieter Nohlen 2005 p. 430">Dieter Nohlen (2005), ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook'', Volume I, p. 430.</ref>

In terms of foreign policy Jamaica became a member of the [[Non-Aligned Movement]], seeking to retain strong ties with Britain and the United States whilst also developing links with Communist states such as Cuba.<ref name="EBJH"/>

[[File:Michael Manley.jpg|thumb|right|Michael Manley, Prime Minister 1972–1980 and 1989–1992]]
The optimism of the first decade was accompanied by a growing sense of inequality among many Afro-Jamaicans, and a concern that the benefits of growth were not being shared by the urban poor, many of whom ended up living in crime-ridden shanty towns in Kingston.<ref name="EBJH"/> This led to the voters [[1972 Jamaican general election|electing the PNP]] under [[Michael Manley]] in 1972. The PNP won 37 seats to the JLP's 16.<ref name="Dieter Nohlen 2005 p. 430"/>

Manley's government enacted various social reforms, such as a higher [[minimum wage]], land reform, legislation for women's equality, greater housing construction and an increase in educational provision.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://michaelmanley.org/about/trade-unionist/ |title=Trade Unionist |first=Peter Scott Chrysalis |last=Communications |access-date=11 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428093659/http://michaelmanley.org/about/trade-unionist/ |archive-date=28 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="EBJH"/> Internationally he improved ties with the Communist bloc and vigorously opposed the [[apartheid]] regime in [[South Africa]].<ref name="EBJH"/>

In 1976, the PNP won another landslide, winning 47 seats to the JLP's 13. The turnout was a very high 85 percent.<ref name="Dieter Nohlen p. 430">Dieter Nohlen (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook'', Volume I, p. 430.</ref> However, the economy faltered in this period due to a combination of internal and external factors (such as the oil shocks).<ref name="EBJH"/> The rivalry between the JLP and PNP became intense, and [[Jamaican political conflict|political and gang-related violence]] grew significantly in this period.<ref name="EBJH"/>

By 1980, Jamaica's gross national product had declined to some 25% below its 1972 level.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} Seeking change, in 1980 Jamaicans voted the JLP [[1980 Jamaican general election|back in]] under [[Edward Seaga]], the JLP winning 51 seats to the PNP's nine seats.<ref name="Dieter Nohlen 2005 p. 430"/><ref name="EBJH"/> Firmly anti-Communist, Seaga cut ties with Cuba and sent troops to support the [[US invasion of Grenada]] in 1983.<ref name="EBJH"/> The economic deterioration, however, continued into the mid-1980s, exacerbated by a number of factors. The largest and third-largest alumina producers, [[Alpart]] and [[Alcoa]], closed; and there was a significant reduction in production by the second-largest producer, [[Alcan]].{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} Reynolds Jamaica Mines, Ltd. left the Jamaican industry. There was also a decline in tourism, which was important to the economy.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} Owing to rising foreign and local debt, accompanied by large fiscal deficits, the government sought [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) financing, which was dependent on implementing various austerity measures.<ref name="EBJH"/> These resulted in strikes in 1985 and a decline in support for the Seaga government, exacerbated by criticism of the government's response to the devastation caused by [[Hurricane Gilbert]] in 1988.<ref name="EBJH"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/27/magazine/showdown-in-jamaica.html|title=Showdown in Jamaica|date=27 November 1988|work=The New York Times|access-date=19 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919230610/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/27/magazine/showdown-in-jamaica.html|archive-date=19 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Having now de-emphasised socialism and adopting a more centrist position, Michael Manley and the PNP were [[1989 Jamaican general election|re-elected in 1989]], winning 45 seats to the JLP's 15.<ref name="Nohlen 2005 p. 430">[[Dieter Nohlen|Nohlen, D]] (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p. 430, {{ISBN|978-0-19-928357-6}}.</ref><ref name="EBJH"/>

The PNP went on to win a string of elections, under Prime Ministers Michael Manley (1989–1992), [[P. J. Patterson]] (1992–2005) and [[Portia Simpson-Miller]] (2005–2007). In the [[1993 Jamaican general election]], Patterson led the PNP to victory, winning 52 seats to the JLP's eight seats. Patterson also won the [[1997 Jamaican general election]], by another landslide margin of 50 seats to the JLP's 10 seats.<ref name="Dieter Nohlen p. 430"/> Patterson's third consecutive victory came in the [[2002 Jamaican general election]], when the PNP retained power, but with a reduced seat majority of 34 seats to 26. Patterson stepped down on 26 February 2006, and was replaced by [[Portia Simpson-Miller]], Jamaica's first female Prime Minister. The turnout slowly declined during this period of time, from 67.4% in 1993 to 59.1% in 2002.<ref name="Nohlen 2005 p. 430"/>

During this period various economic reforms were introduced, such as deregulating the finance sector and floating the Jamaican dollar, as well as greater investment in infrastructure, whilst also retaining a strong social safety net.<ref name="EBJH"/> Political violence, so prevalent in the previous two decades, declined significantly.<ref name="EBJH"/><ref>Franklyn, Delano (ed.): 2002. ''The Challenges of Change: P. J. Patterson Budget Presentations 1992–2002''. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers.</ref>

In [[2007 Jamaican general election|2007]] the PNP was defeated by the JLP by a narrow margin of 32 seats to 28, with a turnout of 61.46%.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Caribbean Elections: Jamaican Election Centre |title=Jamaican general election results 3 September 2007 |url=http://www.caribbeanelections.com/jm/elections/jm_results_2007.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205164530/http://www.caribbeanelections.com/jm/elections/jm_results_2007.asp |archive-date=5 December 2020 |access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref> This election ended 18 years of PNP rule, and [[Bruce Golding]] became the new prime minister.<ref>[http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070909/news/news2.html Pollster's diary: virtual motion picture of campaign 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622031614/http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070909/news/news2.html |date=2008-06-22}}, ''Jamaica Gleaner'', 9 September 2007.</ref> Golding's tenure (2007–2010) was dominated by the effects of the [[Great Recession|global recession]], as well as the fallout from [[2010 Kingston unrest|an attempt]] by Jamaican police and military to arrest drug lord [[Christopher Coke]] in 2010 which erupted in violence, resulting in over 70 deaths.<ref name="EBJH"/><ref name="OAS body raises concerns over Jamaica as death toll rises">{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/05/27/jamaica.violence/ |title=OAS body raises concerns over Jamaica as death toll rises |date=27 May 2010 |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=27 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530095457/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/05/27/jamaica.violence/ |archive-date=30 May 2010<!--DASHBot--> |url-status=live}}</ref> As a result of this incident Golding resigned and was replaced by Andrew Holness in 2011.

Independence, however widely celebrated in Jamaica, has been questioned in the early 21st century. In 2011, a survey showed that approximately 60% of Jamaicans believe that the country would have been better off had it remained a British colony, with only 17% believing it would have been worse off, citing as problems years of social and fiscal mismanagement in the country.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110628/lead/lead1.html |title=Give Us The Queen! |date=28 June 2011 |work=The Gleaner |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209064054/http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110628/lead/lead1.html |archive-date=9 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/most-jamaicans-would-prefer-remain-british-294753 |title=Most Jamaicans Would Prefer To Remain British |last=Ghosh |first=Palash |date=29 June 2011 |access-date=13 February 2017 |website=[[International Business Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102304/http://www.ibtimes.com/most-jamaicans-would-prefer-remain-british-294753 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Holness and the JLP were defeated in the [[2011 Jamaican general election]], which saw Portia Simpson-Miller and the PNP return to power. The number of seats had been increased to 63, and the PNP swept to power with a landslide 42 seats to the JLP's 21. The voter turnout was 53.17%.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Caribbean Elections: Jamaican Election Centre |title=Jamaican general election results 29 December 2011 |url=http://www.caribbeanelections.com/jm/elections/jm_results_2011.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208122455/http://www.caribbeanelections.com/jm/elections/jm_results_2011.asp |archive-date=8 December 2020 |access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref>

Holness's JLP won the [[2016 Jamaican general election|2016]] general election narrowly, defeating Simpson-Miller's PNP, on 25 February. The PNP won 31 seats to the JLP's 32. As a result, Simpson-Miller became Opposition Leader for a second time. The voter turnout dipped below 50% for the first time, registering just 48.37%.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Caribbean Elections: Jamaican Election Centre |title=Jamaican general election results 25 February 2016 |url=http://www.caribbeanelections.com/jm/elections/jm_results_2016.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731030013/http://www.caribbeanelections.com/jm/elections/jm_results_2016.asp |archive-date=31 July 2020 |access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref>

In the [[2020 Jamaican general election|2020 general election]], Andrew Holness made history for the JLP by accomplishing a second consecutive win for the Jamaica Labour Party, winning 49 seats to 14 won by the PNP, led this time by [[Peter Phillips (politician)|Peter Phillips]]. The last time a consecutive win occurred for the JLP was in 1980. However, the turnout at this election was just 37%, probably affected by the coronavirus pandemic.<ref>[http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200903/javotes2020-jlp-trounces-pnp-49-14-seats JLP Trounces PNP 49 To 14 Seats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905085739/http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200903/javotes2020-jlp-trounces-pnp-49-14-seats |date=5 September 2020 }} The Gleaner, 3 September 2020</ref>