The Grenadian Revolution, Part 2: The Rise of Gairyism

After years of societal tension in Grenada, everything would come to a head in 1951 at an event now known as the 1951 Revolution. The person who propelled this event was a former primary school teacher name Eric Matthew Gairy. Due to the success of this 1951 event, Gairy would become Grenada’s leading trade unionist through his organisation, Grenada Manual and Mental Workers Union (GMMWU). Gairy capitalise on this new fame among the locals and register a political party, Grenada People’s Party (GPP) which would ultimately become the Grenada’s United Labour Party (GULP). Soon after, at the age of 29, Gairy would Grenada’s most powerful political leader. Over the next decade and through the 1960’s, Grenada became the setting for Gairyism. Gairyism is defined as the “pride and rebellion Gairy inspired; the self-seeking excesses of the man himself”. Popularism, reports of vast government corruption and lack of policies geared towards the working class, could not deter Grenadians from voting for Gairy. As such by the time Grenada achieved self governance in 1967, Gairy would be ushered in as Premier and Grenadians, unknowlingly, would have to brace themselves for the full force of Gairyism.

Additional Knowledge

BOOKS

  • A History of Organized Labor In the English-speaking West Indies by Robert J. Alexander, Eldon M. Parker

  • Black Power in the Caribbean by Kate Quinn

  • Big Revolution, Small Country: The Rise and Fall of the Grenada Revolution by Jay R. Mandle

  • Caribbean Revolutions and Revolutionary Theory: An Assessment of Cuba, Nicaragua and Grenada by Brian Meeks

  • Grenada: A History of Its People by Beverley A. Steele

  • Grenada: Tale of Uncle Gairy by Frank McDonald

  • Grenada: The Peaceful Revolution by Catherine Sunshine and Philip Wheaton

  • Grenada: The Jewel Deposited by Gordon K. Lewis

  • Reform and Revolution in Grenada, 1950 to 1981 by David Lewis

  • In The Spirit of Butler: Trade Unionism In Free Grenada

  • The Hero and the Crowd in a Colonial Polity by A.W. Singham

FICTIONAL BOOKS

  • Angel” A Novel by Merle Collins

ACADEMIC PAPERS

  •  A Caribbean Story: Grenada's Journey - Possibilities, Contradictions, Lessons by Merle Collins

  • Charismatic Leadership and Popular Support: A Comparison of the Leadership Styles of Eric Gairy And Maurice Bishop by Pedro A. Noguera

  • Between Populism and Leninism: The Grenadian Experience by Colin Henfrey

  • Grenada: Eric Matthew Gairy and the Politics of Extravagance by Frank McDonald

  • Grenada In Contemporary Historiography by Ron Sookram

  • Grenada: Maxi-Crisis for Mini-State by Tony Thorndike

  • Ressentiment and the Gairy Social Revolution  by Oliver Benoit

  • Shifts in Grenadian Migration: An Historical Perspective by Gail R. Pool

  • Three Cases of Constitutionalism and Cuckoo Po­litics: Ceylon, British Guiana and Grenada by A.W. Singham

  • What Happened? Grenada: A Retrospective Journey by Merle Collins

DOCUMENTARIES

  • Grenada: Colonialism and Conflict directed by Valerie Scoon

Previous
Previous

The Grenadian Revolution, Part 3: Aliens, Mongoose & the 1970’s

Next
Next

The Grenadian Revolution, Part 1: Post Emancipation Woes