New Jewel Movement
Encyclopedia
The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement, was a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party
in the Caribbean
island nation of Grenada
. The movement took control of the country with a successful revolution in 1979 and ruled by decree until being deposed by the US military after its 1983 invasion
.
. From 1973 to 1979, the NJM was an opposition political party active in Grenada. During the 1970s, the political situation in Grenada became increasingly polarized and violent. For the 1976 general elections
the organisation formed an electoral coalition known as the People's Alliance with the Grenada National Party
and the United People's Party. However, the alliance lost to the ruling Grenada United Labour Party
in elections which were branded fraudulent by international observers. In the late 1970s, the NJM formed the National Liberation Army (NLA), also known as "the 12 Apostles".
while he was out of the country. The NJM seized the military barracks, radio station, government buildings and police stations across the country. Maurice Bishop then suspended the constitution and announced that the NJM was now a provisional revolutionary government, the People's Revolutionary Government
, with himself as Prime Minister. After the revolution, the NJM described itself as a Marxist-Leninist
vanguard party
. The party did not consider itself to be a communist party because it did not believe that either the NJM or Grenada had reached a level of development where it would be possible to achieve communism
. The NJM pursued policies to reach a point where a communist party could be formed, but considered itself to be unready due to the party not being led by a proletarian class and due to the low level of education in Marxist-Leninist politics.
Shortly after taking power, the government turned to Cuba
for assistance because Bishop had been refused aid and a meeting with American President Ronald Reagan
. Cuban construction workers were brought in to assist in the construction of a new international airport. The government also created a large standing army with Cuban assistance.
During its rule, the government did not hold elections or produce a new constitution to replace the one that had been suspended. The NJM was the sole political party allowed to exist. Positions in the government and the new army were only open to those who had established their support for Marxist principles.
The leaders of several other Caribbean nations, and the U.S. government, were very concerned over many aspects of the NJM government, primarily its ties to Cuba and its military expansion.
, attempted to convince Bishop to enter into a power-sharing agreement with Coard, wherein they would be co-equal rulers of the country. Bishop rejected this idea, and the split at the top level of the NJM led to serious political problems within the party and the government. Eventually, Coard ordered Bishop put under house arrest.
The removal of the very popular Bishop led to demonstrations in various parts of the country. The demonstrations grew to a point where Bishop was eventually freed. In unclear circumstances, Bishop made his way to the army headquarters. Eventually a military force from elsewhere in Grenada arrived at the headquarters and fighting broke out. Many civilians were killed. Bishop and seven others, including government ministers, were lined up in a courtyard against a wall for a considerable period of time, including the reportedly pregnant Jacqueline Creft. They were then executed by a firing squad.
Bishop's execution was followed by the formation of a military government under Hudson Austin
. Austin announced a four day total curfew under which anyone who left their home without authorization for any reason would be subject to summary execution. Six days later, the United States invaded Grenada and toppled the military government. With the removal of the NJM government, the constitution of Grenada was restored.
Seventeen political and military officials of the NJM government (the Grenada 17
) were later tried and convicted of being responsible for the deaths of Bishop and the other seven executed persons.
Vanguard party
A vanguard party is a political party at the forefront of a mass action, movement, or revolution. The idea of a vanguard party has its origins in the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island nation of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. The movement took control of the country with a successful revolution in 1979 and ruled by decree until being deposed by the US military after its 1983 invasion
Invasion of Grenada
The Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was a 1983 United States-led invasion of Grenada, a Caribbean island nation with a population of about 100,000 located north of Venezuela. Triggered by a military coup which had ousted a four-year revolutionary government, the invasion...
.
Origin
The New JEWEL Movement (NJM) was formally established on 11 March 1973 as an alliance of the Joint Endeavour for Welfare, Education, and Liberation (JEWEL) and the Movement for Assemblies of the People (MAP), led by young lawyer Maurice BishopMaurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own...
. From 1973 to 1979, the NJM was an opposition political party active in Grenada. During the 1970s, the political situation in Grenada became increasingly polarized and violent. For the 1976 general elections
Grenadian general election, 1976
General elections were held in Grenada on 7 December 1976. The result was a victory for the Grenada United Labour Party of Eric Gairy, which won nine of the 15 seats, whilst the opposition People's Alliance General elections were held in Grenada on 7 December 1976. The result was a victory for the...
the organisation formed an electoral coalition known as the People's Alliance with the Grenada National Party
Grenada National Party
-History:The party was founded in 1955 and took its support from the urban middle class and landowners. It first contested national elections in 1957 when it won two of the eight seats, tied with the Grenada United Labour Party and the People's Democratic Movement. Its leader Herbert Blaize became...
and the United People's Party. However, the alliance lost to the ruling Grenada United Labour Party
Grenada United Labour Party
-History:The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It was the only party to contest the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome...
in elections which were branded fraudulent by international observers. In the late 1970s, the NJM formed the National Liberation Army (NLA), also known as "the 12 Apostles".
Revolution
In 1979, the NJM launched a revolution against the government of Eric GairyEric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
while he was out of the country. The NJM seized the military barracks, radio station, government buildings and police stations across the country. Maurice Bishop then suspended the constitution and announced that the NJM was now a provisional revolutionary government, the People's Revolutionary Government
People's Revolutionary Government
The People's Revolutionary Government was proclaimed on 13 March 1979 after the New Jewel Movement overthrew the government of Grenada in a revolution...
, with himself as Prime Minister. After the revolution, the NJM described itself as a Marxist-Leninist
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
vanguard party
Vanguard party
A vanguard party is a political party at the forefront of a mass action, movement, or revolution. The idea of a vanguard party has its origins in the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
. The party did not consider itself to be a communist party because it did not believe that either the NJM or Grenada had reached a level of development where it would be possible to achieve communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. The NJM pursued policies to reach a point where a communist party could be formed, but considered itself to be unready due to the party not being led by a proletarian class and due to the low level of education in Marxist-Leninist politics.
Shortly after taking power, the government turned to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
for assistance because Bishop had been refused aid and a meeting with American President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Cuban construction workers were brought in to assist in the construction of a new international airport. The government also created a large standing army with Cuban assistance.
During its rule, the government did not hold elections or produce a new constitution to replace the one that had been suspended. The NJM was the sole political party allowed to exist. Positions in the government and the new army were only open to those who had established their support for Marxist principles.
The leaders of several other Caribbean nations, and the U.S. government, were very concerned over many aspects of the NJM government, primarily its ties to Cuba and its military expansion.
Bishop's fall and the American invasion
In 1983, a dispute developed within the NJM. Bishop, while popular with the people, had strong critics within the party and the army. His critics, led by deputy prime minister Bernard CoardBernard Coard
Winston Bernard Coard was Grenadian Deputy Prime Minister in the People's Revolutionary Government of the New Jewel Movement, who placed Maurice Bishop under house arrest and took control of the government on 14 October 1983....
, attempted to convince Bishop to enter into a power-sharing agreement with Coard, wherein they would be co-equal rulers of the country. Bishop rejected this idea, and the split at the top level of the NJM led to serious political problems within the party and the government. Eventually, Coard ordered Bishop put under house arrest.
The removal of the very popular Bishop led to demonstrations in various parts of the country. The demonstrations grew to a point where Bishop was eventually freed. In unclear circumstances, Bishop made his way to the army headquarters. Eventually a military force from elsewhere in Grenada arrived at the headquarters and fighting broke out. Many civilians were killed. Bishop and seven others, including government ministers, were lined up in a courtyard against a wall for a considerable period of time, including the reportedly pregnant Jacqueline Creft. They were then executed by a firing squad.
Bishop's execution was followed by the formation of a military government under Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin is a former general in thePeople's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. After the killing of Maurice Bishop, he formed a military government with himself as chairman to rule Grenada.-History:...
. Austin announced a four day total curfew under which anyone who left their home without authorization for any reason would be subject to summary execution. Six days later, the United States invaded Grenada and toppled the military government. With the removal of the NJM government, the constitution of Grenada was restored.
Seventeen political and military officials of the NJM government (the Grenada 17
Grenada 17
The Grenada 17 are seventeen political, military and civilian figures who were convicted of various crimes associated with the overthrow of the Maurice Bishop government of Grenada in 1983 and the subsequent murder of Bishop.-History:...
) were later tried and convicted of being responsible for the deaths of Bishop and the other seven executed persons.