Cheddi Jagan and ‘Democratic socialism’

Mar 28, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

March 6, 2025 marked the 28th anniversary of the life and legacy of Cheddi Jagan.

To mark the occasion, celebrations were held at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre at Red House, in Georgetown, where a panel discussion was held on the topic ‘Jagan as a Visionary’ and later, the Annual Cheddi Jagan Lecture Series was convened. Both events were highly successful and well attended.

The annual pilgrimage by thousands of Party supporters and party leaders to the burial site of Jagan at Babu Jaan in Berbice took place and was given wide coverage by mainstream and electronic media outlets. Speeches were made by the President of the Republic and the Vice President. For my part, I published a small but significant note that was sent to me by President Jagan before his passing. The contents of the note speak for itself: The note has no date, but I assume it was written before he died as the President of Guyana (March 1918-March 1997). Michael Manley, the person referred to in his note was at one time, the Prime Minister of Jamaica (December 1924-March 1997).

That note, is just one of the many personal notes President Jagan wrote to me sharing his thoughts, personal impressions about people and about topical events. I have kept those notes close to me since his passing. Jagan was known as a Marxist whereas Manley was known as a social democrat. The latter’s ideology was democratic socialism whereas Jagan’s was scientific socialism. Interestingly, these two giants, though professing different ideological convictions, nevertheless got along quite well. They were personal friends. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was invited to attend Conventions of Manley’s People’s National Party (PNP). The PPP reciprocated. Suffice it to say historically, there has been fundamental ideological differences between the two contesting ideological groups since the early 19th century, prior to the rise of fascism in Europe, during and after the Second World War.

But what is this ‘Socialist International’ that Jagan was keen on joining?

Let me explain… the SI as it was usually called, is a political international or worldwide organisation of political parties which seek to establish ‘democratic socialism,’ consisting over 100 mostly of social democratic political parties and labour organisations from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe.

‘Democratic socialism’ as advanced by the ‘Socialist International’ considers ‘socialism as a moral ideal, that is equally acceptable to all sections of society. It rejects class struggle and socialist revolution.’ The SI views democracy as ‘a harmonious unity of all social strata and groups including the capitalist class. ‘

Social democracy is viewed as a reformist ideology that conforms to capitalism and not its overthrow. From this backdrop, it is easy to understand how and why Cheddi Jagan sought my advice on applying for membership in the Socialist International while he was President of Guyana having travelled such a long way ideologically and politically. At the same time, it must be noted that he shared relationships with many world leaders including social, Christian and liberal democrats over many years.

Because we both realised that for the PPP to join the Socialist International would mark a significant shift in the party’s historical and ideological position from a Marxist party to a social Democratic Party, my advice to the President who, at that time, was the General Secretary of the Party, was to seek the views of the party’s executive committee and central committee and, if possibly, the next party congress that was scheduled to be held in 2001. But by 1997, President Jagan had died and the matter never surfaced again. However, in my view, the subject remains a legitimate question for consideration in these troubling times globally. Moreso, considering the extent of the changes that are occurring in the political and ideological landscape in Guyana.

Yours faithfully

Clement J. Rohee

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Cheddi Jagan and ‘Democratic socialism’

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