By Liam Miller
In commemoration of Grenada’s 50th independence anniversary, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) unveiled a commemorative EC$50 that contained the image of its first two prime ministers Si. Eric Gairy and Maurice Bishop. While this action has been received positively, it gifts irony. Forty-five years ago, the latter prime minister led the Grenada Revolution, the first successful socialist revolution in the Commonwealth Caribbean. This event remains a compelling chapter from the annals of Caribbean history.
Grenada, often called the “Island of Spice” for its cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, was once a prized possession of the British Empire. Like many former Caribbean colonies, Grenada suffered under slavery and colonialism before achieving political independence in 1974. However, this newfound independence brought little prosperity. The country inherited a monocultural economy and faced significant underdevelopment. Sir Eric Gairy, Grenada’s first independent prime minister and former premier, presided over a regime marred by allegations of corruption, economic mismanagement, and state-sanctioned violence enforced by his secret police, the Mongoose Gang.
In a region relatively peaceful compared to other parts of the world, the Grenada Revolution stood out as a significant moment of upheaval. In 1979, The New Jewel Movement (NJM), led by Maurice Bishop, orchestrated a relatively bloodless coup, ending Gairy’s rule abruptly.
Bishop, then leader of the opposition, became the second prime minister of an independent Grenada. Utilizing Radio Free Grenada, Bishop announced the dawn of a new era for the island. Born in 1944, Maurice Bishop was a gifted student leader who earned a scholarship to study at the University of London (The London School of Economics and Political Science & King’s College, London). Despite the opportunities abroad, Bishop returned to his home country, Grenada, and entered local politics. His political philosophy stemmed from influential thinkers such as C.L.R. James, Eric Williams, Frantz Fanon, Karl Marx, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, and Walter Rodney.
During its brief four-year tenure, the Grenada Revolution brought significant developmental gains that positively impacted the lives of Grenadians. Economist Kari Grenade highlighted the abolition of income tax for some of the lowest income earners and the introduction of education scholarships considering socioeconomic background. At the same time, unemployment rates fell dramatically from 49 percent under Gairy to around 14 percent during Bishop’s regime. A massive literacy campaign further underscored the revolution’s commitment to improving the lives of Grenadians.
The revolution also championed gender equality. Policies such as “Equal Pay for Equal Work” and the outlawing of sexual exploitation for employment marked significant strides in women’s rights. Bishop’s public addresses, which began with “Sisters and Brothers,” reflected this commitment to gender equality. Infrastructural gains occurred as the Grenada Revolution saw the construction of a new airport, now named the Maurice Bishop International Airport, and the expansion of electricity distribution across the island.
On the international stage, Bishop was a vocal critic of global imperialism and racism, condemning apartheid in South Africa and the Palestinian territories. He also advocated for Caribbean regionalism, pointing out that colonial powers had created divisions to facilitate their control over the region.
However, internal conflicts within the party led to Bishop’s arrest and execution, an act that plunged the nation into chaos. His body was never recovered. The installation of a more hardline Marxist regime in the wake of Bishop’s death prompted a formal request from several Caribbean states to US president Ronald Reagan for assistance. This formal request led to Operation Urgent Fury, which aimed to restore stability and rescue several American students.
The legality of Operation Urgent Fury remains contentious, as it arguably violated the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force by member states except in self-defence. It is also notable that Grenada, smaller than the US state of Rhode Island, posed no military threat to the United States. Hence, critics have continually pointed out that Operation Urgent Fury was an example of aggressive US imperialism throughout the region.
The Grenada Revolution’s sustainability was undermined not only by internal issues, such as political suppression of opponents and the abandonment of parliamentary elections but also by external pressures. Like many Global South nations during the Cold War, Grenada’s developmental trajectory was shaped by the strategic interests of the United States and the Soviet Union. The Bishop regime, aligned with Marxist-Leninist principles, sought development funding from the US but was denied due to its domestic and foreign policies.
As a result, Grenada turned to the Soviet Union and other socialist states for assistance. The Soviet Union, in particular, was interested in extending its influence in the Caribbean due to its proximity to the United States. Thus, Grenada, like many other newly independent countries during the Cold War (i.e. Cuba) was coerced into choosing an ideological side, to obtain developmental assistance for their people.
Despite its shortcomings, the Grenada Revolution exemplifies the “David vs. Goliath” dynamic that persists in the post-Cold War, yet neoliberal era. Issues affecting Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to echo this dynamic as they advocate for stringent climate policies, global financial reforms, and increased development assistance from larger nations. Beyond its adherence to Marxist-Leninism, the story of Maurice Bishop and the Grenada Revolution offers a historical example of anti-colonial resistance, developmental success, and international interference challenges.
For Caribbean SIDS to succeed, the Grenada Revolution underscores the importance of aligning government goals with the masses’ aspirations to achieve collective development. Acquiring this people-government alignment gives Caribbean leaders strategic ambitions and interests to be voiced in global discourse. Caribbean leaders can also benefit from remembering that achieving sustainable development is an anti-colonial achievement. This achievement asserts the self-sovereignty that was stripped from us by our former colonial powers. The Grenada Revolution also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of succumbing to larger states’ strategic and ideological interests alongside the excesses of ideology.
As the motto of the Barbados ministry of foreign affairs and foreign trade suggests, “friends of all, satellites of none,” the Grenada Revolution teaches the values of unapologetic self-determination, empowering Caribbean people to shape their collective destinies.
