Earlier widespread sugarcane cultivation and sugar production in Hawaii

[Slime_blob]

As the title says, I am wondering what if they did that, maybe open up sugar plantations on Hawai'i island owned by the Kingdom during the war of unification under Kamehameha I, assuming that sugarcane cultivation was found to be productive in Hawaii earlier, and Sugar as sandalwood's replacement of the main product. then it spreads to the Whole Hawaiian Kingdom, at first mainly planted by the local chiefs or governors of the parts of the island, land owners in their land with the local labour, and the people in the communal properties as they realized it was profitable. And so sugar mills and refineries started popping after the success of sugarcane cultivation Earlier on but the owners of the industry are mostly hawaiian ittl.

So with the industry being started much earlier, how would it affect Hawaii and everything, maybe by the 1815 the industry fully entrenched to hawaii many mills and refineries are in there by that time ittl, as the earlier introduction and widespread cultivation happened there.

 

[durante]

As the title says, I am wondering what if they did that, maybe open up sugar plantations on Hawai'i island owned by the Kingdom during the war of unification under Kamehameha I, assuming that sugarcane cultivation was found to be productive in Hawaii earlier, and Sugar as sandalwood's replacement of the main product. then it spreads to the Whole Hawaiian Kingdom, at first mainly planted by the local chiefs or governors of the parts of the island, land owners in their land with the local labour, and the people in the communal properties as they realized it was profitable. And so sugar mills and refineries started popping after the success of sugarcane cultivation Earlier on but the owners of the industry are mostly hawaiian ittl.

So with the industry being started much earlier, how would it affect Hawaii and everything, maybe by the 1815 the industry fully entrenched to hawaii many mills and refineries are in there by that time ittl, as the earlier introduction and widespread cultivation happened there.

The issue is "to whom do we sell all this Sugar?", as there isnt a substantial market on the North American west coast until the 1850s.

 

[durante]

There are plenty of opportunities for earlier development however, and Hawai'i can find markets other than the USA. But there was a certain demand already when the sugar plantations developed.

Hawai'i PoDs are some of my absolute favourite, so I'm willing to go all the way down the rabbit hole on this one.

Of particular interest are possibilities for Kamehameha II surviving, and an alternate Great Mahele. The reign of Kamehameha III (which could have been the reign of his older brother, Kamehameha II Liholiho, had he lived...) saw most of the steps toward modern Hawai'i begun. Apparently, K II Liholiho was very pro-Britain; KIII Keauipouli was became increasingly pro-American during his reign (which saw the first Bill of Rights, the first two Constitutions, and the aforementioned "Mahele" which divided all the land in Hawai'i into plots with legal title which could be bought and sold).

All these events could/would have turned out very differently with KII instead of KIII. I would also say that Hawaii should aim for crop diversification to the extent possible.

They do not have an absolute advantage against Cuba when it comes to sugar, as Cuba is larger, closer to major markets, more populated, and has legal slavery. Their advantage is with respect to location: they are closer to California than other sugar producers, and therefore can supply that market.

That's why I'd say Hawai'i should grow tropical fruits, coffee and sugar for export to California. They would be less reliant on the world price for one commodity, and could try to become a "one-stop shop" for all sorts if imported goods.

IIRC correctly various Hawaiians went through years of agony in the late 19th century trying to acquire Cayenne pineapple shoots, as it was believed Hawai'ian iron-rich soil would be perfect for growing pineapple; they were eventually proved correct but growing didnt begin until the 1920s.

 

[Slime_blob]

The issue is "to whom do we sell all this Sugar?", as there isnt a substantial market on the North American west coast until the 1850s.

Europe, the fact that sugar prices are up until 1815 seems to be good reason

 

[durante]

Europe, the fact that sugar prices are up until 1815 seems to be good reason View attachment 659402

I think for that youd need a European power to develop the Hawai'ian islands for sugar (for some reason) earlier than the war of unification. The islands were united in 1814, Kamehameha I died in 1819 IIRC. As you can see in the graph, sugar is on a steady decline at that point and the question remains why would Europeans buy from Hawai'i rather than the Caribbean? They own sugar producing colonies with slave labour on larger and closer islands.

Edit: What about Japan?

 

[Slime_blob]

I think for that youd need a European power to develop the Hawai'ian islands for sugar (for some reason) earlier than the war of unification. The islands were united in 1814, Kamehameha I died in 1819 IIRC. As you can see in the graph, sugar is on a steady decline at that point and the question remains why would Europeans buy from Hawai'i rather than the Caribbean? They own sugar producing colonies with slave labour on larger and closer islands.

Edit: What about Japan?

Japan is still isolationist, maybe to russia or another european power or any country who is dependent on sugar imports

 

[durante]

Japan is still isolationist, maybe to russia or another european power or any country who is dependent on sugar imports

Yeah they could be less isolationist (its alternate history!), but Russia could work, too. They established trade posts at Kaua'i and then had a deal with the Hudsons Bay Company to provide Russian Alasksa with fresh meat and vegetables. Maybe they could develop their own crop gardens in Hawai'i which grow into sugar plantations?

 

[Workable Goblin]

They do not have an absolute advantage against Cuba when it comes to sugar, as Cuba is larger, closer to major markets, more populated, and has legal slavery. Their advantage is with respect to location: they are closer to California than other sugar producers, and therefore can supply that market.

Asia is another possibility, although they have some domestic production...after all, that's where sugarcane is from!

That's why I'd say Hawai'i should grow tropical fruits, coffee and sugar for export to California. They would be less reliant on the world price for one commodity, and could try to become a "one-stop shop" for all sorts if imported goods.

They would, however, still be quite reliant on one market, which was the ultimate issue IOTL. Even if the sugar barons are sugar, pineapple, and coffee barons...well, United Fruit was as bad as the missionary's children ever were.

 

[durante]

Asia is another possibility, although they have some domestic production...after all, that's where sugarcane is from!


They would, however, still be quite reliant on one market, which was the ultimate issue IOTL. Even if the sugar barons are sugar, pineapple, and coffee barons...well, United Fruit was as bad as the missionary's children ever were.

Indeed. From a Hawai'ian sovereignty perspective (which may not be the perspective of this thread) I'd say better management of Sandalwood resources rather than earlier development of plantation agriculture as the path to development.

 

[Slime_blob]

Indeed. From a Hawai'ian sovereignty perspective (which may not be the perspective of this thread) I'd say better management of Sandalwood resources rather than earlier development of plantation agriculture as the path to development.

But the plantation agriculture is more sustainable than the sandalwood industry, and what I am thinking is that, If the plantation agriculture got started much earlier on, with the natives, village chiefs and hawaiian royals instead of the missionaries . I was thinking as the earlier start of the sugar industry ittl as a jumpstart to stop the missionaries from gaining much power and create an economy based on cash crops plantation economy as the unsustainable sandalwood extraction is not the path to development.

 

[durante]

But the plantation agriculture is more sustainable than the sandalwood industry, and what I am thinking is that, If the plantation agriculture got started much earlier on, with the natives, village chiefs and hawaiian royals instead of the missionaries . I was thinking as the earlier start of the sugar industry ittl as a jumpstart to stop the missionaries from gaining much power and create an economy based on cash crops plantation economy as the unsustainable sandalwood extraction is not the path to development.

Well stopping the missionaries from getting power is worth it, so anything to that effort is worth a shot.

Actually your suggestion is very intriguing to me: as part of the Mahele, the King allows nobles to lease/develop their land, but not to sell it? And the crown does the same with their lands?

Like, if the plantations were owned and operated by the Kingdom, and the profits went to pay for social services and the development of the Kingdom...
It could all work out quite well for the Kanaka.

 

[Slime_blob]

Well stopping the missionaries from getting power is worth it, so anything to that effort is worth a shot.

Actually your suggestion is very intriguing to me: as part of the Mahele, the King allows nobles to lease/develop their land, but not to sell it? And the crown does the same with their lands?

Like, if the plantations were owned and operated by the Kingdom, and the profits went to pay for social services and the development of the Kingdom...
It could all work out quite well for the Kanaka.

So the missionaries would be the teachers instead of what happened to them iotl.

Im thinking Maybe some kind of this , Elites and upper class composed of Hawaiian Land lords, nobles, royals, the crown. The middle class composed of the native Hawaiian and the descendants of the missionaries. and the worker and lower class composed of labourers from china Japan and other sources.

 

[Revachah]

Good luck with an indigenous led plantation system that won’t end up with US snatching that land sooner.

sugarcane production was the very basis of Hawaiian illegal censure. No nation will challenge the US land grab and there will be less of a need to incorporate the royal elite because the system is already fully in place.

 

[Slime_blob]

Good luck with an indigenous led plantation system that won’t end up with US snatching that land sooner.

sugarcane production was the very basis of Hawaiian illegal censure. No nation will challenge the US land grab and there will be less of a need to incorporate the royal elite because the system is already fully in place.

How do you think it would affect the Hawaii? ittl

 

[durante]

Good luck with an indigenous led plantation system that won’t end up with US snatching that land sooner.

sugarcane production was the very basis of Hawaiian illegal censure. No nation will challenge the US land grab and there will be less of a need to incorporate the royal elite because the system is already fully in place.

Probably, but alot depends on the relation with the Hawaiian Crown. IOTL, the Hawaiian Crown aggressively pursued closer nations with the USA under Kamehameha III and Kamehameha V. The short-lived KII and KIV were against this and wanted to pursue closer relationships with Britain. There are certainly alot of difficulties in avoiding annexation, but it's not impossible. It also depends how early, as the USA doesnt really have a West Coast until the 1840s; France, Russia and the UK were already in the area. And this is with all the European powers virtually ignoring the Pacific Northwest. An earlier settlement in that area by a colonial power could change a whole lot in the Pacific.