One of the enduring legitimising claims of the Barbadian society and economy has been the general notion that conservatism has been a key to avoiding the crises that have beset other Caribbean countries.
Like all ideological positions, these claims are more imagined than real, since for example, the “crises” and “backwardness” of the societies benchmarking Barbados exist mainly in the minds of Barbadians themselves. It also means denying the several historical instances when Barbadian behaviour has been anything but conservative.
In addition, there is no common agreement or sophisticated understanding of what “conservatism” actually means, or how it is applied in practice.
For example, it might be interpreted as always agreeing with the Government. Note, for example, how enemies of free education and of University of the West Indies (UWI) have appeared out of the woodwork.
In some instances, conservatism simply means not opposing anything too vigorously. In others it might mean always maintaining the appearance of “order” and “civility”, despite the existence of actual practices which may overturn such notions. Thus corruption and other negative practices remain hushed.
The important thing is to pretend, deny or suppress the narratives which run counter to the desired conservative claim.
In practice, it means to do nothing and simply wait.
It is a philosophy of powerlessness that is beneficial only to the powerful or those who benefit from the existing order. Notice how the reactionaries have found their voice and are loudly celebrating the “mannersing” of the poor.
However, one of the challenges facing Barbados today is the growing dysfunctionality or reduced utility of its reflexive conservatism in the current moment of social and economic crisis.
Whilst it can be argued the conservative outlook has strong utility in “normal” periods of social and economic stability, this conservatism actually becomes a fetter against change and transformation when the moment demands a sharp and urgent shift in direction.
When applied to the political situation in Barbados, the cost of Barbadian conservatism becomes clear to see. Despite the clear signs of economic failure, the generalisation of social misery, and the real evidence of governmental inertia and confusion, there has been no perceptible shift in public consciousness to suggest the desire to address the failures at a political level.
Indeed, a strong argument for the granting of a second parliamentary term to the existing administration was that since Independence, no party had been given only one term. Similarly, the general response in the midst of continuing economic failure is to wait till the next election.
Businessmen, households, and external rating agencies who complain about uncertainty, please accept my humbly proffered free advice: there is unlikely to be a change in Barbados’ economic situation until 2018.
This conclusion has been easily reached through an understanding of Barbadian conservatism. Ironically, it is this very conservatism which will shoot the messenger.
• Tennyson Joseph is a political scientist at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, specialising in regional affairs.
Email [email protected].
