WHEN Aubrey Norton became the PNC leader, I penned a Christmas Eve (2021) column describing the condescending attitude of the Mulatto/Creole class (MCC) that will greet him. In that same piece, I outlined what the MCC did to Burnham during the days of the League of Coloured People and how the MCC ran Corbin out of the PNC. Please see the article of Friday, December 24, 2021 titled, “PNC election results 2021, part 2: Norton faces colour and class.”
Ravi Dev, last Sunday, touched on the issue of the “doctor syndrome” in West Indian politics and how Norton is a victim of the MCC. Dev argued that the MCC wants Norton to be more “cultivated.” The flaw in Dev’s analysis of the MCC’s contempt for Norton is that the “doctor syndrome” is part of human nature. And while we lament its successful penetration in the British West Indies, it exists in all societies and I stick with the words “all societies.” Yes all societies, because it is human nature. People around the world want their leaders to come from business, academia, prestigious professions, etc.
The relationship between the street fighter and the “doctor” class is complex, but it has its answer in psychology. People compartmentalise politicians. They encourage the street fighter to go out and kick backsides. They admire the street fighter who bullies his way at the rallies of other political parties.
Then you see human nature kicking in. The same people who like to see the trench warrior leading his men in the streets do not want such a person to be their leader. It is the bifurcation of psychology. Deep in their mental make-up, people compartmentalise political actors. Humans feel there is a place for the street fighter and a place for the doctor.
Humans feel a university professor, a skilled lawyer, a wealthy businessman or a prominent medical doctor is better suited to run the country. They feel such people are needed to head a government. It is not that they have disdain for the bully boy in the street who fights for his party. It is just that such a person they feel cannot run a government.
When I write about disdain, I am not using classes in the classical Marxist sense. Of course, the bourgeoisie has cultural contempt for low-income people. Of course, historically, the MCC in the West Indies had unbridled contempt for the ex-indentured labourers and the dark-skinned descendants of the field slaves.
I am using the term “disdain” loosely within the context of party politics. It is not that the party hierarchy dislikes the foot soldier. They accept him as part of the party, but they want him to keep his distance from being the Prime Minister, the President, or the party leader.
The story of Hamilton Green must be the most notorious case in modern global politics. He was central to the preservation of PNC power and he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. The pro-Burnham MCC folks did not hate Green or show any hubris in dealing with him. They simply did not think he was eligible for the presidency.
The examples of bifurcation in psychology around the world are endless. The latest graphic example comes from Greece. The former ruling party, Syriza, held a leadership contest last year. It was won by a shipping and banking magnate that lived in the US most of his life and hardly visited Greece. He easily won the party leader position because the Syriza membership felt that such a person could bring victory in a national election.
Aubrey Norton won the 2001 PNC internal vote because the middle class did not campaign for Joe Harmon and Basil Williams. Plus, the middle class was psychologically traumatised by the loss of the general election in 2020 and was in depression mode. Had the middle class flexed its muscles, its preferred candidate would have won.
Both Amanza Walton Desir and Roysdale Forde would have beaten Norton, with Norton getting only a part of the votes of the ordinary folks. Walton-Desir would have picked up votes from wider constituencies than Norton, especially working-class women. The pro-Norton leadership knew Norton would have lost, so they created stumbling blocks for Forde and Walton-Desir.
Over at the AFC, the bulk of the votes from the ordinary folks went to Nigel Hughes and not Sherod Duncan. The street membership loved to see Duncan ringing his bell and cussing up people. But when it came to Nigel Hughes, the AFC’s street fighters were decisive. Over in Jamaica, black Jamaicans darker than me like to have MCC personalities as their leaders. At the moment, the PM is from the MCC and the opposition leader is White.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
