Ch. 19: Trinidad & Guyana

Question 0

What were the roles of Afro- and Indo-Trinidadians before independence?

Answer 0

Both groups were laborers cultivating sugar; Africans as slaves, Indians as indentured laborers.

Question 1

Population size: Trinidad & Guyana

Answer 1

Trinidad: 1.3 million
Guyana: 800,000

Question 2

What was the PNM?

Answer 2

PNM: Peoples National Movement, an essentially Creole political party led by Dr. Eric Williams.

Afro-led, dominant in Trinidad.

Question 3

What was the DLP?

Answer 3

DLP: Democratic Labor Party.Principal opposition to the PNM.

Indian-led, Trinidad.

Question 4

What is the ACDC?

Answer 4

ACDC: Action Committee for Dedicated Citizens, led by ANR Robinson, who went on to create the NAR. Entered into a trans-racial coalition with the DLP in 1971.

Question 5

What is the PPP?

Answer 5

PPP: Peoples Progressive Party. In power 1953-1963. Split into two factions before independence. Led by East Indian Cheddi Jagan.

Indian-led, Guyana.

Question 6

What is the PNC?

Answer 6

PNC: People’s National Congress, founded by Forbes Burnham. Dominant party since race riots in 1964. Generally accepted that control will continue.

Afro-led, Guyana.

Question 7

Primary political groups: Trinidad & Guyana

Answer 7

Trinidad: PNM (dom) vs. DLP
Guyana: PPP vs. PNC (dom)

Question 8

How do the populations of Trinidad & Guyana perceive politics?

Answer 8

The population at large perceives politics in racial terms.

Question 9

Cultural pluralism: in what sense can the societies of Trinidad & Guyana be considered unitary?

Answer 9

Plural societies are only units in a political sense. Each is a political unit simply because it has a single government.

Question 10

What interests are at stake regarding control of the government?

Answer 10

1. Patronage
2. General economic interests
3. Cultural interests
4. Desire for positive self-image
5. Physical and Psychic security

Question 11

Regarding government control, what does patronage mean?

Answer 11

The distribution of government jobs and other patronage (salaries, fees, scholarships, concessions, roads, public housing, etc).

Question 12

What fields did Africans in Trin&Guy prefer for employment?

Answer 12

Colonial bureaucracy rather than farming.

Question 13

What fields did Indians in Trin & Guy prefer for employment?

Answer 13

Saw farming and petty trade as the primary paths to economic advancement.

Question 14

Regarding government control, when do general economic interests lead to ethnic politics?

Answer 14

Only if a) different ethnic groups are differentially represented in different occupations, classes, or geographic areas; b) ethnic considerations are used in determining treatment of individuals otherwise identical in interest

Question 15

GDP (1967): Trinidad & Guyana

Answer 15

Trinidad: $690
Guyana: $284

Question 16

What is the United Force party?

Answer 16

Led by industrialist Peter D’Aguiar. While in a coalition with PNC, provided the support that established Burnham as PM before breaking up in 1968. Party is losing Indian support to the PPP.

Question 17

Regarding government control, what cultural factors are at stake?

Answer 17

Gov’t policies affecting the acknowledgement of cultural norms or traditions (teaching languages or religion in schools, gov’t radio time for broadcasts, recognition of holidays)

Question 18

What rising interest is complicating racial-cultural relations in Trin & Guy?

Answer 18

Rising interest in “black power”

Question 19

What were the goals of the black power movement on Trinidad?

Answer 19

The April 1970 movement in Trin had these goals: full disclosure of the business interests of cabinet ministers, redistribution of the land, repeal of the Industrial Stabilization Act.

Question 20

Who led the black power movement in Trinidad?

Answer 20

The National Joint Action Committee, led by young intellectuals. They continue to oppose the PNM.

Question 21

Who leads the black power movement in Guyana?

Answer 21

ASCRIA: American Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa, led by Eyusei Kwayana. ASCRIA exists to “give the Creolized, deracinated African a chance to compete culturally and economically with the Indian.”

Question 22

Regarding government control, why is self-image relevant?

Answer 22

Members of ethnic/racial groups may feel alienated if individuals like themselves are not elected to high office or are excluded from the national image.

Question 23

What is another political concern expressed in Ethnic politics?

Answer 23

The generalized, irrational fear of “the other”, evident in groups which consider themselves to have antagonistic interests and whose members have few or segmented contacts with one another.

Question 24

What causes fear of “the other” to grow?

Answer 24

Lack of communication and empathy between groups

Question 25

What situational differences resulted in higher racial tension in Guyana than in Trinidad?

Answer 25

1. More equal division of the two groups in Guyana
2. DLP less of a threat to Trinidadian government than PPP in Guyana
3. Guy independence is more recent
4. Better economy in Trinidad
5. Geographical divide
6. Larger light-skinned/white elite in Trinidad

Question 26

Under what circumstances are ethnic-racial politics more likely to develop?

Answer 26

1. When a nation is split into 2 or more nearly equal groups
2. When a number of interests of one group differ from interests of the other
3. Substantial social distance
4. Given the existence of 2 or 3 in situations of rapid change and uncertain outcome

Question 27

Independence: Trinidad & Guyana

Answer 27

Trinidad: 1962
Guyana: 1966