42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
The **Trinidad and Tobago Water Riots** was a [nationwide
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uprising](List_of_Libertarian_Socialist_Revolutions "wikilink") and
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[class war](Class_Struggle "wikilink") over [water](water "wikilink")
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use in Port of Spain in the then [British](British_Empire "wikilink")
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colony of [Trinidad and
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Tobago](Republic_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago "wikilink") in
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[1903](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_the_Caribbean "wikilink").
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## Background
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Port of Spain's bourgeoisie had been known for excessive water waste in
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the construction of elaborate fountains and gardens. Engineers in the
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1880s observed the over-consumption and recommended expanding the
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plumbing network and installing water meters, but this was ignored by
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the central government. The concept that water was a [common
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resource](Commons "wikilink") to be shared by all and not a [capitalist
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commodity](Capitalism "wikilink") became popular among the [lower
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classes](Lower_Classes "wikilink"), and efforts to restrict public
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participation in debate led to a riot.\[1\]
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## Events
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The Parliament (The Red House) was attacked with stones and bottles,
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windows were smashed and people stormed the parliament, forcing
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politicians to hide under tables. Police, [the army and the
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navy](Military "wikilink") were all deployed to land soldiers.
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[Police](Police "wikilink") massacred 16 protesters and injured 42
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(including two teenagers and a child). As protesters stormed the
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parliament, it was burned down to the ground.\[2\]
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## Results
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The riot led to the reinstatement of a [local democratic
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council](Democratic_Assembly "wikilink") to manage water affairs.\[3\]
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## References
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<references />
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1. <https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/the-trinidad-water-riots-of-1903/>
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2. <https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/the-trinidad-water-riots-of-1903/>
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3. <https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/the-trinidad-water-riots-of-1903/> |