By Mark DaCosta- Veteran trade unionist Lincoln Lewis, in a conversation with Village Voice News, has expressed concern about politicians manipulating racial and ethnic divisions to consolidate power.
A central theme in Lewis’ analysis was the role of race in shaping political allegiance, particularly in relation to Donald Trump’s rise to power. Lewis, who is General Secretary, Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), explained that the United States (U.S) President-elect appeal was not based primarily on policies, but on a carefully crafted racial identity politics that resonated with many Americans, including groups who voted against their own self-interests.
The trade unionist noted a similar pattern in Guyana, particularly with the current People’s Progressive Party (PPP) leadership. According to Lewis, the PPP that touts itself as a working-class party, under the leadership of Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali, is the most anti working class and racist party and government Guyana has ever seen.
He cited the visit to Guyana by United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Race, Gail McDougall, the damning reports on discrimination, review of Guyana this year before the UN Human Rights Committee, the extrajudicial killings of hundreds of young men during Jagdeo presidency, discriminatory allocation of contracts, massive corruption, UN calling for comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, refusal to pay workers a living wage, disrespect for collective bargaining, growing poverty, and an expanding underclass. Lewis said neither Jagdeo or Ali can run from this record.
Lewis said the record will show the Jagdeo and Ali regimes have done nothing for the advancement of the working class, “but get by playing the race card; and whilst racial minorities are worse off under the regime, many East Indians are also suffering.”
The Politics of Division and Race
Delving deeper into the U.S election, Lewis said, “the results weren’t so much about policies or political issues as they were about racial identity.” Trump’s message resonated because it spoke to white Americans’ fears about losing their place in society. But more than that, it also appealed to some Latinos and wealthier black Americans, who identified with the white community and saw themselves as ‘inside’ — while others, such as Arabs, Muslims, and poor African Americans, were cast as the ‘outsiders.'”
The veteran trade unionist suggested that this was particularly true for many Latinos, who, in their home countries, may hold positions of racial dominance. “Many Latinos come from countries where they are the racial majority,” Lewis explained. “In those contexts, they may not have much experience of being oppressed or marginalised. So, they may identify more with the dominant racial group in the US than with the minorities they’re supposed to be allied with.”
“Micro-stratification”
This observation led to Lewis’ exploration of what he called “micro-stratification,” where ethnic groups are seen as homogeneous in one context but stratified in another. He cited the example of the Tutsis and Hutus in Rwanda, who, though both considered “black” in countries like Guyana, are sharply divided in their home country. Similarly, Lewis pointed to India’s caste system, where the same ethnic group is socially divided.
“In Guyana, we see Indian Guyanese as one group, but in India, they are divided along caste lines,” Lewis said. “The same phenomenon exists within indigenous groups in Guyana, where coastlanders might not see the distinctions between indigenous tribes, but for the indigenous people, these differences are very real.”
This kind of racial and ethnic division, the General Secretary argued, is often manipulated by politicians to consolidate power. “Politicians exploit these divisions to create fear and to build their power base,” he stated. “In both the US and Guyana, we see leaders who use race and ethnicity as tools to appeal to particular groups and to maintain control.”
The Long-Term Implications
Looking beyond the current moment, Lewis was unequivocal in his belief that the growing dominance of individualism and the increasing fragmentation of society along racial and ethnic lines will have profound consequences in the future. “We’re living in a world where politicians have successfully shifted the focus away from collective welfare and towards individual gain,” Lewis said. “This is a dangerous path, one that ultimately benefits the wealthy and powerful, while leaving the masses further behind.”
Lewis pointed to the historical achievements of collective action — such as the abolition of slavery and the fight for workers’ rights — as examples of how unity among ordinary people has changed the course of history for the better. “Collective action is what ended slavery, indentured servitude, and colonialism,” he remarked. “Without unions, without mass movements, these injustices would not have been overturned.”
However, he feared that current political forces are doing everything they can to weaken this kind of solidarity. “The world has changed,” Lewis said, “and political leaders are actively working to discourage collective action. That’s why we must remain vigilant.”
Lewis’ reflections offer a stark warning for both Guyana and the broader world. The rise of individualism, the manipulation of racial divisions, and the weakening of collective action are all part of a dangerous global trend that threatens to reverse the social and political progress achieved by past generations. For Lewis, the future lies in reclaiming the power of collective struggle — a power that has always been essential in the fight for justice and equality.
