Today we begin a series giving snippets of life in Jamaica 50 years ago.

The immortal opening lines to Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities summed up Jamaica in 1974. Supporters of Prime Minister Michael Manley and the governing People’s National Party (PNP) considered it “the best of times”. For those who backed the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), “it was the worst of times”.

Fifty years ago, Jamaica was divided politically, a split that widened in November when Manley officially declared democratic socialism as his Administration’s doctrine. Edward Seaga, the man who became his fierce rival, was elected leader of the JLP.

Manley had come to power through a landslide victory in the February 1972 General Election, promising a series of social programmes that would remove the colonial shackles from Jamaica, which gained independence from Britain in August 1962.

One of those programmes, the Jamaican Movement for the Advancement of Literacy (JAMAL), was launched in 1974 to reduce illiteracy. Another landmark move was the first phase of the National Minimum Wage Orders which passed in Parliament.

When Manley announced democratic socialism as the driving force of his Government, it irked conservative Jamaicans who believed that meant communism. But his policies were attractive to working-class youth like Lloyd Stanbury, who was preparing to enter The University of the West Indies.

“Nineteen seventy-four was a significant turning point in my life. Part of that year was spent in my final year as a sixth former at Kingston College, an institution that shaped me into the man I became. The other part of the year was spent as a new first-year student in the faculty of law on the Mona Campus of The University of the West Indies,” he recalled.

“As a student at Kingston College I was privileged to be present at a special visit to the school by Michael Manley, where he addressed us in the school chapel. Of course, I was sold there and then and became a firm believer in his political policies and principles. I absolutely benefited from Michael Manley’s policies that enabled me and thousands of other Jamaicans to access boarding grants and affordable student loans to attend The University of the West Indies. Without those benefits I would not have been able to go to college,” Stanbury said.

Tony Bogues, a middle-class youth from Havendale in St Andrew, graduated from St George’s College and ended his secondary education in sixth form at Meadowbrook High School. Like Stanbury, he was drawn to Manley’s passion and policies, although his parents differed.

“I never talked politics with my father, because by that time he had run me out of the house because he said I was a communist. By the time we get into the 1970s, and I’m watching the People’s National Party, I’m judging the People’s National Party from the position of, quite frankly, what is it they are doing for poor black people,” said Bogues.

Jamaica’s population in 1974 was 1.9 million, with many of its young people drawn to the militant Rastafarian movement and roots-reggae, which swept the country. That year saw the release of Natty Dread, the début album from Bob Marley and The Wailers; Ken Boothe’s Everything I Own topped the British national chart; and Afro-sporting Andrea Lyon was crowned Miss Jamaica.

In terms of sports, Donald Quarrie won the sprint double at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. Lawrence Rowe scored an epic 302 for the West Indies against England at Kensington Oval in Barbados; Kingston College won their 13th straight Boys’ Championships title; Jamaica College won the Manning Cup; while Santos took the National League title with a 1-0 win over Boys’ Town.

Tension between supporters of the PNP and JLP sparked a wave of national tribalism, with diehards sporting orange to show allegiance for the former, and green for the JLP.

The enforcers for both parties were colourful characters, including “Feathermop” (George Spence), Tony Welsh, Bucky Marshall, George Flash, and Anthony Brown carrying the PNP banner. Claudius Massop, Byah Mitchell, and Lester “Jim Brown” Coke lay down the law for the JLP.

There was one national television station — Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) — two main radio stations (JBC and Radio Jamaica) and two daily newspapers, The Gleaner and Jamaica Daily News.

For entertainment, there were hip clubs, like Epiphany, and a number of cinemas, including Carib, Regal, State, Odeon, Majestic, Ritz, Gaiety, Globe, Palace, Rialto, and Harbour View Drive-In.

SEAGA… was elected leader of the Jamaica Labour Party in 1974