373. Telegram 773 From the Embassy in Guyana to the Department of State1
773. Subject: Burnham Says He Plans Orthodox Socialism for Guyana; Damns Private Enterprise.
1. Summary: PM Burnham in public speech categorically placed himself in orthodox Socialist camp, explaining that cooperative socialism was different only as means of attaining socialism. He lambasted concept and practitioners of free enterprise, labeled them as Guyana’s enemies, and called on host Jaycees to cut ties with parent body in U.S. or renounce objective that economic justice can best be won by free men in free enterprise. Speech confirms other indications of Burnham’s and PNC leaders increasingly radical socialism. Embassy speculates that enemies warned against perhaps set up as straw men and that criticism of CARICOM neighbors as not being truly Socialist may result from self image as Caribbean leader to radical socialism or as reaction to their criticism. End summary.
Begin unclassified.
2. PM Forbes Burnham in public speech in bauxite town of Linden, organized by local Jaycees May 22, made most categoric public statement yet of his ideological antipathy to private enterprise and his intention of leading Guyana into Socialist camp. According local papers, which played speech on quote a Socialist Guyana in the Caribbean unquote as headline story May 23, he warned audience that powerful capitalist system against which Guyana is fighting would not take Guyana’s entry into Socialist camp lying down, since successful socialism in Guyana would cause quote domino theory to obtain in this part of the world unquote. If Guyana were able to persuade by example its CARICOM brothers to turn to the road on socialism, according to Burnham, the capitalists would try to ensure that quote we must be destroyed unquote. As example of subtle tactics of quote enemy unquote, Burnham cited use of spies planted by FBI in U.S. to provide information leading to destruction of Black Panthers.
3. Burnham took pains to disabuse audience of idea that cooperative socialism of Guyana was different from orthodox socialism (one paper used the term communism). He reportedly stated quote if there [Page 970] be anyone who believes that because we talk of cooperative socialism, our objective in so far as establishing socialism is different from that of any other Socialists, you are mistaken. And if you do not want to share in Socialist objective, then, until the time we have educated you, the PNC is not the place for you unquote. He said that the only way that his concept of socialism was different from that of any other Socialist was the belief that socialism in Guyana could best be achieved through the instrument of the cooperative. He elaborated that the belief of some type cooperative socialism is a new type of socialism is erroneous, adding at another point that he accepted Lenin’s thesis that imperialism was a developed form of capitalism and that the envitable triumph of socialism was a natural development. While Guyana was not a Socialist state, it was a country, led by a Socialist Party with the objective of making it a Socialist state, according to Burnham.
4. Burnham used Jaycee’s forum to attack an objective of Jaycee’s movement which he said states that economic justice can best be won by free men in free enterprise. He continued by saying that if Jaycees wanted to play a part in change which would take place in Guyana, they must either disassociate themselves from parent body in U.S. or rewrite that particular objective. He predicted that the local Jaycees movement would one day be called upon by its parent body to oppose what they would regard as quote the Socialist dictatorship which the PNC is trying to establish in Guyana unquote.
5. Burnham also threw out veiled warning to other CARICOM countries that Guyana would continue as a member of CARICOM only if such membership did not cause it to compromise its Socialist objectives and made disparaging allusion to genuineness of Jamaica’s commitment to socialism.
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6. Source in PM’s office told DCM that speech was extemporaneous and also that it was made from notes and that text is, therefore, unavailable. Another GOG source told PAO that transcript being prepared from tape, but that it will be sent to PM’s office for minor editing and quote embellishing unquote before being released and that process may take two weeks. When and if we obtain transcript, we will analyze it further and forward to Dept.
7. Comment. Preliminary local reaction seems to confirm our belief that rather virulent speech marks further step by Burnham toward publicly placing himself more solidly in ideological Socialist-Communist camp. It appears to be public affirmation of what we understand he has been saying privately within PNC and GOG circles. Allusions to foreign free enterprise enemies and confrontation probably intended as straw men to divert local criticism. Criticism of lack of Socialist commitment of CARICOM partners may be reaction to possible [Page 971] foreign criticism of Guyana’s radical course or could be indication Burn [Page 972] ham sees himself as charismatic leader lighting way to radical Socialist future for Caribbean. Speech also contains inference that Burnham’s celebrated pragmatism may give way to more authoritarian behavior to extent he encounters resistance or passivism along road to his goal. In this regard, a backward glance at Jagan’s performance in power (1954–64) can be rewarding.
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Summary: Krebs reported that in a public speech Burnham categorically placed himself in the Socialist camp.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750183–0224. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Bridgetown, Caracas, Kingston, London, Port of Spain, Paramaribo, and USCINCSO for POLAD.
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