Statecraft & Independence
Landmark
Michael Manley
1924 – 1997
Prime minister in the 1970s and an international voice for the developing world
Landmark is level 2 of 4 in the Jamaica Hall of Fame: a first that opened a door, or the pre-eminent figure of their generation in this country. See how the levels work.
Why they are here
The son of Norman Manley, he led the People's National Party to power in 1972 and set Jamaica on a course of democratic socialism.
Manley's governments introduced a national minimum wage, free education and equal pay for women, and he spoke for the non-aligned movement and against apartheid. His years in office were also marked by economic crisis and severe political violence between supporters of the two main parties. He returned as prime minister from 1989 to 1992 with a more market-friendly programme.
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