People's National Party
Encyclopedia
The People's National Party (PNP) is a social democratic
and social liberal
Jamaica
n political party, founded by Norman Manley in 1938. It is the oldest political party in the Anglophone Caribbean and one of the main two political parties in Jamaica. Out of the two major parties, it is considered more to the left than its main rival, the Jamaica Labour Party
. They have held majorities in the Jamaican Parliament
twice; firstly between 1972 to 1980 and again from 1989 to September 2007, when the JLP
won the general election. The party is a member of the Socialist International
.
The PNP was defeated in the first universal
elections held in Jamaica in 1944, winning only four of the 32 seats (one elected independent joined the party afterwards). It came to office in 1955, and held office until just before independence in 1962 when the party was defeated by its principal rival, the Jamaica Labour Party
. During this period of government it promoted actively reformist social democratic policies, including opening secondary education to many poorer Jamaicans through state funding of scholarships.
Ten years later, under the leadership of its founder's son, Michael Manley
, it returned to office committed to democratic socialism
and a foreign policy focused on strengthening relations with the Global South. In 1980
, the Jamaica Labour Party led by Edward Seaga
overwhelmingly defeated the PNP, after several years characterized by inflation and rising unemployment, and in a campaign noteworthy for an alarming level of violence. Manley led the party in a boycott of the snap election called in 1983
, and the party was absent from parliament for more than five years.
In 1989
it was returned to office under Manley's leadership. Manley retired from politics in 1992, and was replaced as party leader by Percival Noel James Patterson
. Patterson led the PNP to victory in 1993
, 1997
, and 2002
, becoming the first political leader in Jamaican history to win three successive general elections. In the 2002 election
, held on 16 October 2002, the party won 52.2% of the popular vote and 34 out of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives. Since its return to office in 1989 it has pursued policies intended to take advantage of globalization
, and has substantially moderated or even abandoned the socialist rhetoric of the 1970s. On 26 February 2006, Portia Simpson-Miller
was elected as Patterson's successor, becoming the first female president of the PNP and became the Prime Minister of Jamaica. The PNP lost the August 2007 election
to the JLP, and their leader Bruce Golding.
As electoral symbols, it uses a rising sun and the colours red, orange
and yellow.
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
and social liberal
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n political party, founded by Norman Manley in 1938. It is the oldest political party in the Anglophone Caribbean and one of the main two political parties in Jamaica. Out of the two major parties, it is considered more to the left than its main rival, the Jamaica Labour Party
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party. Despite its name, the JLP is a centre-right, conservative party.-Background:...
. They have held majorities in the Jamaican Parliament
Parliament of Jamaica
The Parliament of Jamaica is the legislative branch of the government of Jamaica. It is a bicameral body, composed of an appointed Senate and an elected House of Representatives....
twice; firstly between 1972 to 1980 and again from 1989 to September 2007, when the JLP
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party. Despite its name, the JLP is a centre-right, conservative party.-Background:...
won the general election. The party is a member of the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
.
The PNP was defeated in the first universal
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
elections held in Jamaica in 1944, winning only four of the 32 seats (one elected independent joined the party afterwards). It came to office in 1955, and held office until just before independence in 1962 when the party was defeated by its principal rival, the Jamaica Labour Party
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party. Despite its name, the JLP is a centre-right, conservative party.-Background:...
. During this period of government it promoted actively reformist social democratic policies, including opening secondary education to many poorer Jamaicans through state funding of scholarships.
Ten years later, under the leadership of its founder's son, Michael Manley
Michael Manley
Michael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....
, it returned to office committed to democratic socialism
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
and a foreign policy focused on strengthening relations with the Global South. In 1980
Jamaican general election, 1980
General elections were held in Jamaica on 30 October 1980. The result was a victory for the Jamaica Labour Party, which won 51 of the 60 seats. Voter turnout was 86.9%.-Results:...
, the Jamaica Labour Party led by Edward Seaga
Edward Seaga
Edward Philip George Seaga ON PC was the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1980 to 1989 and Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party from 1974 to 2005. He served as leader of the opposition from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1989 until January 2005...
overwhelmingly defeated the PNP, after several years characterized by inflation and rising unemployment, and in a campaign noteworthy for an alarming level of violence. Manley led the party in a boycott of the snap election called in 1983
Jamaican general election, 1983
Early general elections were held in Jamaica on 15 December 1983. The election was boycotted by the main opposition party, the People's National Party, in protest at the refusal of the ruling Jamaican Labour Party to update the electoral roll...
, and the party was absent from parliament for more than five years.
In 1989
Jamaican general election, 1989
General elections were held in Jamaica on 9 February 1989. The result was a victory for the People's National Party, which won 45 of the 60 seats. Voter turnout was 78.4%.-Results:...
it was returned to office under Manley's leadership. Manley retired from politics in 1992, and was replaced as party leader by Percival Noel James Patterson
P. J. Patterson
Percival Noel James Patterson, ON, QC, PC, O.E., was the sixth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. Until February 2006 he was the leader of the Jamaican People's National Party . The new PNP leader, Portia Simpson-Miller, took over as Prime Minister on 30 March 2006...
. Patterson led the PNP to victory in 1993
Jamaican general election, 1993
General elections were held in Jamaica on 30 March 1993. The result was a victory for the People's National Party, which won 52 of the 60 seats. Voter turnout was 67.4%.-Results:...
, 1997
Jamaican general election, 1997
General elections were held in Jamaica on 18 December 1997. The ruling People's National Party of Prime Minister P. J. Patterson won 50 of the 60 seats defeating the main opposition Jamaica Labour Party.-Background:...
, and 2002
Jamaican general election, 2002
General elections were held in Jamaica on 16 October 2002. The result was a victory for the People's National Party, which won 34 of the 60 seats, whilst voter turnout was 59.1%. PNP leader P. J. Patterson retained his position as Prime Minister, becoming the first political leader to win three...
, becoming the first political leader in Jamaican history to win three successive general elections. In the 2002 election
Jamaican general election, 2002
General elections were held in Jamaica on 16 October 2002. The result was a victory for the People's National Party, which won 34 of the 60 seats, whilst voter turnout was 59.1%. PNP leader P. J. Patterson retained his position as Prime Minister, becoming the first political leader to win three...
, held on 16 October 2002, the party won 52.2% of the popular vote and 34 out of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives. Since its return to office in 1989 it has pursued policies intended to take advantage of globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, and has substantially moderated or even abandoned the socialist rhetoric of the 1970s. On 26 February 2006, Portia Simpson-Miller
Portia Simpson-Miller
Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller, ON, MP is Jamaica's Leader of the Opposition and was the country's seventh Prime Minister from 30 March 2006 to 11 September 2007...
was elected as Patterson's successor, becoming the first female president of the PNP and became the Prime Minister of Jamaica. The PNP lost the August 2007 election
Jamaican general election, 2007
General elections in Jamaica were held on September 3, 2007. They had originally been scheduled for August 27, 2007 but were delayed due to Hurricane Dean. The preliminary results indicated a slim victory for the opposition Jamaican Labour Party led by Bruce Golding, which grew by two seats from...
to the JLP, and their leader Bruce Golding.
As electoral symbols, it uses a rising sun and the colours red, orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
and yellow.
List of party presidents
- Norman ManleyNorman ManleyNorman Washington Manley MM QC National Hero of Jamaica , was a Jamaican statesman. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s...
(1938–1969) - Michael ManleyMichael ManleyMichael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....
(1969–1992) - P. J. PattersonP. J. PattersonPercival Noel James Patterson, ON, QC, PC, O.E., was the sixth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. Until February 2006 he was the leader of the Jamaican People's National Party . The new PNP leader, Portia Simpson-Miller, took over as Prime Minister on 30 March 2006...
(1992–2006) - Portia Simpson-MillerPortia Simpson-MillerPortia Lucretia Simpson-Miller, ON, MP is Jamaica's Leader of the Opposition and was the country's seventh Prime Minister from 30 March 2006 to 11 September 2007...
(2006–Present Day)
External links
- Official PNP website
- Party manifesto (PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
file; free download of reader available here) - History of the PNP and the JLP