There are a few political hacks around that “bandy about” the word “elite” to give a distorted and pejorative meaning to the concept of “elitism”. It is clear that they want to use it as a wedge-word to influence a certain sector of our community.
The sector at which the degenerate use of the word is aimed is not convinced and sees it as political intent to mislead. Yet for their benefit, and for the understanding of others, their view must be clarified and exposed. The truth is that the people who are propagandizing the issue are better characterized – and standout – more as representatives of the actual image that they lie about, and try to propagate, than everyone else. In fact, for them to consciously do this they must have an agenda. They should stop the massacre of the concept and seek professional assistance from the work of C. W. Wright, C. P. Snow, T. Bottmore and others. These writers all offer a sound insight into the concept and their views are less toxic than the propaganda being spread for political reasons.
Broad reference to the writings of Snow, Wright, and Parreto considers the “elitists” in society as those who, as a class or group of persons, possess great wealth, great power and think of themselves as the best in society. In Anguilla those persons are easily identifiable because they are the ones who brand others and blurr the true meaning of “Elitism” and, by their attitude, promote old fashion class-distinctions in this place where they have never taken hold. That is more problematic for advancement because it hangs on to the past and gets in the way of the future. Anguilla needs young people with ideas who are confident in themselves and not turned off by labels.
It is universally accepted and observed that education is the way to gain upward mobility. This is what most young Anguillians have in mind when they go abroad to study. Although this island has not been class conscious, modernity dictates that people change their thinking on some issues and try not to intimidate by negatively shading the meaning of words. They need to raise the bar, and names like Uncle Tom; Aunt Jemima; House slave or even Wood slave would not do it. Our political system requires encouragement, nourishment and not punishment. The young, therefore, are not concerned with elitism as expressed here — they have seen and learned much about the “isms.” What they now seek is the leveling of the playing field. Many more are going abroad and are coming back with different standards in mind.
It requires you to be awfully gullible to accept the interpretation made by those political hacks, or be naive and fail to see through their agenda. The status quo is favorable to them thus they want to maintain it. What they fail to realize is that the torch has been passed to a new generation tempered by the computer – who studied on line, and abroad, and who understand that that type of talk will not raise the bar.
Speaking in Jamaican vernacular, this “fool-fool” nonsense should be shut down. It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. The progress we seek is that the youth and ambitious should not be cowed by the labels put out by the nabobs of negativism. Instead, it must be pointed out that ambition and learning have never been viewed as a deterrent to advancement for individuals or countries except, perhaps, by these political hacks.
For some reason it is seen differently by those who prefer to keep the status quo and limits on upward social mobility; tie the future to the past; and stifle forward-looking people by falsely labeling them elitist knowing full well that the reverse is true. It seems that a number of elected representatives would rather choose mediocrity instead of elitism.
Why take that approach? The original concept of the “New Anguilla” was to build up and include everyone in the development process. Our focus therefore should not be to undermine but to promote modernity without negatively labeling the promoters. To maintain old fashion class culture concepts is to go backwards, and would produce stagnation. We need to look up to others with already entrenched attitudes. Generally speaking, in the Caribbean people say: “all uh we are one!” Other people, who differ, point out that the statement needs some adjustment. They say that perhaps at Emancipation in 1834 – on the first Monday in August – we were all the same but we are not today. And those people who among us who rose to the top could be looked on as Big Shots, Achievers, Elitist, Ambitious or simply the Best. Whatever the thinking, people who strive for raising the bar, or for reaching high ideals, should not have to combat the ramblings of low level thought.
Anguilla is too small and too closely knit for us to begin to peddle labels now. Besides that, political elites have often done good in society. Even Karl Marx talked about the importance of the vanguard and its significance for nation-building. Robert Bradshaw harnessed the best he could find to help him. Sir Eric Williams in Trinidad challenged Uriah ‘”Buzz “Buttler and Gomes to raise the bar, and in Jamaica and Barbados-Norman Manley and Grantley Adams respectively mused about a middle class or leadership class. They thought Elites had a role to play in society. This country has not grown that way, but we have to be careful that the baby is not thrown out with the bath water just because of labeling.
Really, it is hard to find another country where one would not be a ‘laughing stock’ when he proposes as his best tourism development project one and half more hotels. Now what is a half of a hotel? Is it measured by size or sense? Is that a good example of Elitism or plain Stupidity?
