David versus Goliath: The Legacy of the Grenada Revolution

By Liam Miller

In In commemoration of Grenada’s 50th anniversary of independence, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) unveiled a commemorative EC$50 coin bearing the likenesses of its first two Prime Ministers, Si. Eric Gairy and Maurice Bishop. While the move was welcomed, it is ironic. Forty-five years ago, the latter Prime Minister led the Grenada Revolution, the first successful socialist revolution in the Commonwealth of the Caribbean. This event remains a fascinating chapter in the annals of Caribbean history.

Often called the “Island of Spices” for its cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, Grenada was once a prized possession of the British Empire. Like many former Caribbean colonies, Grenada suffered from slavery and colonialism before gaining political independence in 1974. This newfound independence, however, brought little prosperity. The country inherited a monocultural economy and suffered from significant underdevelopment. Sir Eric Gairy, Grenada’s first independent prime minister and former prime minister, presided over a regime marred by allegations of corruption, economic mismanagement and state-sanctioned violence enforced by its secret police, the Mongoose Gang.

In a region that was relatively peaceful compared to other parts of the world, the Grenada Revolution stood out as a major moment of upheaval. In 1979, The New Jewel Movement (NJM), led by Maurice Bishop, orchestrated a relatively bloodless coup that abruptly ended Gairy’s rule.

Bishop, then leader of the opposition, became the second Prime Minister of an independent Grenada. With the help of Radio Free Grenada, Bishop heralded the beginning of a new era for the island. Born in 1944, Maurice Bishop was a gifted student leader who won 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 of Grenada and entered local politics. His political philosophy drew from influential thinkers such as CLR James, Eric Williams, Frantz Fanon, Karl Marx, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Walter Rodney.

During its short four-year period, the Grenada Revolution brought about significant development gains that positively impacted the lives of Grenada’s citizens. Economist Kari Grenade highlighted the abolition of income tax for low-income earners and the introduction of socio-economic-based scholarships. At the same time, unemployment rates fell dramatically from 49 percent under Gairy to around 14 percent during Bishop’s regime. A large-scale literacy campaign further underscored the revolution’s commitment to improving the lives of Grenada’s citizens.

The revolution also championed gender equality. Policies such as “Equal Pay for Equal Work” and the prohibition of sexual exploitation for employment marked significant strides in women’s rights. Bishop’s public speeches, 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 called Maurice Bishop International Airport, and the expansion of electricity distribution across the island.

On the international stage, Bishop was an outspoken critic of global imperialism and racism, condemning apartheid in South Africa and the Palestinian territories. He also advocated regionalism in the Caribbean, pointing out that colonial powers had created divisions to facilitate their control over the region.

However, internal conflict within the party led to Bishop’s arrest and execution, an act that threw the nation into chaos. His body was never recovered. The installation of a hardline Marxist regime after Bishop’s death led to a formal request from several Caribbean states to US President Ronald Reagan for help. 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 controversial, as it arguably violated the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force by member states except in self-defense. It is also notable that Grenada, smaller than the U.S. state of Rhode Island, posed no military threat to the United States. As a result, critics have consistently pointed to Operation Urgent Fury as an example of aggressive U.S. imperialism throughout the region.

The sustainability of the Grenada Revolution was undermined not only by internal issues, such as political repression of opponents and the abandonment of parliamentary elections, but also by external pressures. Like many countries in the Global South during the Cold War, Grenada’s development trajectory was shaped by the strategic interests of the United States and the Soviet Union. The Bishop regime, which adhered to Marxist-Leninist principles, sought US development funding but was rebuffed because of its domestic and foreign policies.

As a result, Grenada turned to the Soviet Union and other socialist states for help. The Soviet Union was particularly interested in expanding 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 (e.g. Cuba), was forced to choose an ideological side in order to obtain development aid for its people.

Despite its shortcomings, the Grenada Revolution exemplifies the “David versus 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 call for tough climate policies, global financial reform, and increased development aid from larger countries. In addition to its adherence to Marxist-Leninism, the story of Maurice Bishop and the Grenada Revolution offers a historical example of anti-colonial resistance, development success, and challenges to international intervention.

For the Caribbean SIDS to succeed, the Grenada Revolution underscores the importance of aligning government goals with the aspirations of the masses to achieve collective development. Achieving this people-government alignment provides Caribbean leaders with strategic ambitions and interests that can be expressed in global discourse. Caribbean leaders may also benefit from remembering that achieving sustainable development is an anti-colonial achievement. This achievement affirms 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 the strategic and ideological interests of larger states alongside the excesses of ideology.

As the motto of the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade states, “friends of all, satellites of none,” the Grenada Revolution teaches the values ​​of unashamed self-determination and gives the Caribbean people the power to shape their collective destiny.