Economic independence was only one aspect of Garvey’s ideology, however. Marcus Garvey envisioned a complete liberation from all forms of oppression. Garvey was certainly a capitalist, but he was also someone who was very critical of some of the more exploitative elements of capitalism. For example, Garvey once declared: “We have not only to fight the white capitalist, but we also have to fight the capitalistic Negro. He will sell his own people into Hell the same as anybody else.”
Garvey’s vision of economic freedom for black people was not a vision in which a small number of black individuals enrich themselves. His vision was one of collective economic empowerment. To achieve this goal the Universal Negro Improvement Association operated numerous businesses, which employed many people. The UNIA also provided much needed services, such as the Black Cross Nurses who provided medical care for people. The UNIA also purchased spaces which were renamed Liberty Hall. These Liberty Halls were used for multiple functions such as prayer services, concerts, soup kitchens, and even homeless shelters. The UNIA brought in large sums of money, but Garvey did not personally profit from much of it. Garvey himself explained that he gave all of his money to the movement.
When Garvey returned to Jamaica he organized a political party of his own and drafted a manifesto which called for policies to assist the working class in Jamaica. This included an eight-hour work and minimum wage. Garvey’s emphasis was always on collective mass empowerment, not only a few wealthy individuals amassing more wealth for themselves. Garvey believed that “no individual should be allowed the possession, use or privilege to invest on his own account more than a million, and no corporation should be allowed to control more than five million.”