Episode Overview

Podcast: It Could Happen Here
Episode: Grenada with Andrew, Pt. 1
Hosts: Andrew Sage & James Stout
Release Date: December 17, 2025

This episode launches a two-part historical deep dive into the Grenada Revolution—a pivotal but often overlooked moment in Caribbean and Cold War history. Trinidadian host Andrew Sage guides listeners through Grenada’s colonial background, the rise of radical movements in the Caribbean, and how the New Jewel Movement, led by Maurice Bishop, came to power through a bloodless coup. The conversation explores the complexities of post-colonial politics, people's movements, and the role of the US in suppressing progressive change in the region.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Grenada Matters (02:20–03:49)

• Andrew sets the stage by noting that Grenada, "tucked in a corner of the Caribbean," played a central role in a revolutionary period that has been largely forgotten outside the region.
• He connects the topic to present-day U.S. military interest, mentioning a 2025 request by the U.S. to build a temporary military radar base at Grenada’s airport.
• Quote:
  "Grenada is small... and yet it has sat at the centre of one of the most critical events in Caribbean history. And it might be one of the sites of yet another such incident." — Andrew Sage (03:31)

2. Grenada’s Colonial Background (03:51–12:34)

• Andrew details Grenada’s indigenous history, European conquest (French then British), the importation of slaves, and eventual independence in 1974.
• He deconstructs the myth of simple European conquest, noting the fierce resistance by indigenous populations and the tragic "Great Dying" caused by European diseases—sometimes intentionally spread.
• Quote:
  "There’s this narrative that the Europeans came and they just easily conquered the entirety of the Americas, and it’s important to lay that myth to rest." — Andrew Sage (04:31)

3. Waves of Caribbean Radicalism (12:34–14:26)

• Andrew places Grenada within a broader tradition of Caribbean uprisings from the 1960s to 1970s: Dominican Republic, Curacao, Jamaica, Trinidad, and others.
• He highlights the Black Power Revolution in Trinidad, the radical labor movements, and the influence of US and European neo-colonialism.

4. The Rise and Rule of Eric Gairy (14:26–19:42)

• Gairy, originally a labor organizer, rose to power in Grenada before and after independence but became corrupt and autocratic, using secret police ("the Mongoose Gang") to suppress dissent.
• Younger generations and labor activists opposed his rule, leading to repeated strikes and political tension.

5. Foundations of the New Jewel Movement (NJM) (19:42–24:00)

• The NJM emerged from a fusion of two groups: Maurice Bishop's Movement for Assemblies of the People and Unison Whiteman’s JEWEL organization.
• Andrew highlights the ideological evolution of Caribbean leftism—from earlier Stalinist orthodoxy to Trotskyist, Maoist and democratic socialist influences, particularly via West Indian intellectuals like C.L.R. James.
• Quote:
  "In the 1960s and 70s, radical thought across the Caribbean was shaped by these more democratic socialist ideals...inspired by grassroots Workers Councils rather than the typical Soviet orthodoxy." — Andrew Sage (19:27)

6. The 1979 Bloodless Coup (24:00–26:45)

• On March 13, 1979, while Gairy was abroad, NJM staged a bloodless coup, seizing control of radio stations and the military. They instructed citizens to demand the police surrender—and incredibly, it worked.
• Memorable moment:
  "They told people to go to police stations and demand that they put up white flags of surrender. And the population was so anti-Gairy that they did it...the police said, yeah sure, that was that." — Andrew Sage (24:37)

7. A Window into Revolutionary Optimism (26:45–29:43)

• Andrew and James reflect on the period's unique hopefulness, comparing it to today’s cynicism about change. They muse over how, despite risk and no certainty of success, past activists took bold opportunities.
• James draws cultural links to Britain’s Windrush generation, ska music, and the role of pirate radio in cultural cross-pollination.
• Quote:
  "I think we have this sort of 21st century malaise of cynicism. It’s like that was tried before, you know...the people who try those things, they didn’t know if it was going to work out or not. They just tried it." — Andrew Sage (26:54)

8. Power—and Its Pitfalls (29:43–30:53)

• After seizing power, the NJM formed the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) under Maurice Bishop. Despite widespread support, they declined to hold elections and banned opposition parties.
• Andrew foreshadows coming episodes that will dig into the successes, internal splits, US invasion, and the revolution’s tragic end.

9. The US, Imperial Memory, and Historical Amnesia (30:53–34:25)

• James laments that Grenada’s story is rarely taught in US schools, while Andrew explains this erasure is itself an act of empire.
• Quote:
  "The axe forgets what the tree remembers, as the famous say it. So something like the US’s operations in Grenada...may not even muster a passing mention...and yet it is pivotal to the histories and self identities up to the present day of entire regions and peoples." — Andrew Sage (31:52)
• Discussion broadens to US interventionism in Panama, deportations, and the externalization of US borders—framing Grenada as part of a wider pattern of US action in the hemisphere.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On revolutionary hope:
  "At some point you have to like roll the dice, right, and see how it goes." — James (27:26)
• On resistance and history:
  "You know, progress is not inevitable or irreversible." — Andrew Sage (28:37)
• On education and memory:
  "As we return to, like, Monroe Doctrine 2.0...it’s vital to understand the role [the US] has played in suppressing progressive political movements in the last century." — James (30:53)
• On the erasure of empire:
  "The axe forgets what the tree remembers." — Andrew Sage (31:52, quoting a proverb)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic / Segment | |----------------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 02:20–03:49 | Introduction to Grenada and its strategic importance| | 03:51–12:34 | Colonial history and context for revolution | | 12:34–14:26 | Waves of Caribbean radicalism | | 14:26–19:42 | Eric Gairy’s regime and political climate | | 19:42–24:00 | Emergence and ideology of the New Jewel Movement | | 24:00–26:45 | The bloodless coup of 1979 | | 26:45–29:43 | Optimism, action, and cultural memory | | 29:43–30:53 | The People's Revolutionary Government forms | | 30:53–34:25 | US imperialism, memory, and contemporary connections|

Closing and Teaser for Part 2

Andrew previews the next episode, promising a full exploration of the PRG era, the internal split, the U.S. invasion, and the current legacy of the revolution in Grenada. The conversation ends on a somber note about the ongoing relevance of the revolution’s lessons, the persistence of US neo-colonial influence, and the importance of recognizing overlooked histories.

Closing Line:
"All power to all the people. Peace." — Andrew Sage (34:45)