Walter Rodney, Forbes Burnham, and the specter of pseudo-socialism

Abstract

During the 1970s, the renowned Guyanese scholar and revolutionary Walter Rodney (1942–1980) developed his theory of “pseudo-socialism” as the centerpiece of his critique of the Forbes Burnham government and the proliferation of self-styled socialist governments throughout the Global South more broadly. While Rodney’s original analysis has been quite influential, this essay represents a critical reappraisal which recognizes its limitations in the interest of building upon its strengths. In doing so, it proposes some possible directions for future studies of the Burnham era that may improve our understanding of what remains a deeply divisive chapter in Guyana’s recent history.

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