This paper was originally presented in November 1986 to a symposium organised by graduate students of the Faculty of social Sciences, UWI, under the theme: "The Present Political Situation: A Case for Electoral Reform?" The paper looks at the Workers' Party of Jamaica in the context of contemporary Marxist movements. In so doing much profile-dats is presented on Marxist and Marxist-oriented organizations in the modern world -- their geographical location, formation date, legal status, electoral performance, etc. Hypotheses, for fuller examination and empirical testing, are presented regarding the circumstances contributing to or militating against the development of Marxist movements. Within this context, the roots of the Workers' Party in the radicalism and popular militancy of the 1970s is analysed. The Party's weakening in the 1980s is assessed in relation to the overall Jamaican political economy and to WPJ's own mistakes. The concludes by identifying a number of internal and external factors -- some objective, others subjective -- which shall condition the prospects of the WPJ. Amongst these are the abandoment of a dogmatic approach to Marxism within the party and the introduction in the Election Law of a system of Proportional Representation, thereby facilitating more democratic representation of minority tendencies. The paper implies that within Western Plural Democracies Marxist organisation need not be alien nor insignificant in political prospects.
Social and Economic Studies (ISSN 0037-7651) is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal that has been published continuously since 1953. Produced by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), it features articles reflecting current academic research of a developmental nature on a wide range of issues in the Caribbean, Latin America and the rest of the Global South. SES is multi-disciplinary in orientation and publishes articles and research on agricultural, anthropological, demographic, economic, educational, monetary, political, cultural and sociological questions with a view to analyzing and discussing the problems of less developed countries, particularly those in the Caribbean. Our intended audience would consist of academics, policy-makers and informed members of the general public. For more information about the journal, please visit: http://sesjournaluwi.blogspot.com
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© 1987 University of the West Indies
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