Michael Manley: A man for the people

The son of the erudite barrister and accomplished politician Norman Manley, and Sculptress extraordinaire Edna Manley, Michael Manley enunciated and promulgated an entrenched philosophy of democratic socialism. It was this philosophy, in addition to the inequitable standards of living and social injustice encountered by Jamaicans which buttressed his insatiable desire for idealistic change within the country.

Manley attended Jamaica College, his father's alma mater, in Saint Andrew and in the early 1940s was a writer for the weekly newspaper Public Opinion. He volunteered for service in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943 while at McGill University and at the end of the war studied politics, philosophy, and economics at the London School of Economics. His political philosophy was significantly influenced by British Labour Party Chairman and LSE lecturer, Harold Laski; who, according to Manley, was the greatest social thinker of his time.

After a brief stint at the BBC as a journalist he returned to Jamaica in 1951; and subsequently, became president of the National Workers Union (NWU). His organizational and negotiating skills propelled the NWU into Jamaica’s most potent and respected trade union. It was during this period that Manley recognized the egregious inequity permeating the Jamaican labour force, in particular rural citizens. His perspicacity of the deplorable working conditions and lower standards of living amplified his resolve to press for social change in Jamaica.

In 1969, when Manley’s father retired from active politics, the presidency of the PNP became vacant. The sagacious Manley grasped the opportunity at advancing in representational politics when he defeated Vivian Blake in a closely contested presidential race and subsequently ascended to the position of Opposition Leader. As Opposition Leader, he continued advocating for improved standards of living and equal opportunities for all Jamaicans. 

During the period leading to the 1972 general elections, Manley openly reached out to ostracized groups such as, the Black Nationalist, Rastafarians, urban-youth, the unemployed and “sufferers” throughout the island. As a result it was no surprise when the charismatic Manley led the PNP to a resounding victory over the Hugh Shearer led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), capturing the hearts of the people with the campaign slogan “Better Must Come.”

With the enormous expectations of the people weighing heavily on his shoulders, He commenced his promise of social change by creating the Special Employment Programme (SEP) geared toward reducing unemployment. Additionally, in an effort to eliminate illiteracy the government launched a national campaign through the National Literacy Board which was later replaced by The Jamaica Adult Literacy program (JAMAL). Manley also introduced education reform by making education free from the primary level up to university, free school uniforms for primary school children, in addition to a nutrition programme to provide lunches for students.

Other social programs geared at improving the lives of the disenfranchised included the establishment of the National Housing Trust (NHT) to channel employer and employee contributions to build houses for workers. Also, a new ‘land lease’ programme was established, aimed at accelerating the delivery of lands to the rural poor both to inhabit and for farming.

However, one of the greatest successes brought about by Michael Manley was the enactment of laws to eradicate the masculine insularity of British common law. This legislation gave children born out of wedlock equal rights of inheritance and other benefits. Women were granted equal pay for equal work. Additionally, there was the maternity leave law, granting new mothers’ job security and three months paid maternity leave.

These amongst other social changes encapsulate Michael Manley’s Jamaica. According to Manley “The more that I have thought about the morality of politics, the more there has emerged for me a single touchstone of right and wrong; and the touchstone is to be found in the notion of equality.”

Christopher Thomas (Library Intern)

References

Manley, Michael. The politics of change: A Jamaica testament. London: Andre Deutsch, 1974.

Meeks, Brian. Narratives of resistance: Jamaica, Trinidad, the Caribbean. Barbados: The University of the West Indies Press, 2000.

Panton, David. Jamaica’s Michael Manley: The great transformation (1972-92). Kingston: Kingston Publishers, 1993.