Socio-Political Perceptions and Attitudes of East Indian Elites in Trinidad

Abstract

try, form a distinct cultural-ethnic group still preserving and practicing the cultural and institutional structure brought from India by their ancestors about 125 years ago. Negroes form the majority ethnic group; the Arabs, Chinese and Europeans constitute only small minorities.' politics of the island is organized along ethnic lines. People's National Movement (PNM) is the ruling party and is dominated by Negroes. Democratic Labor party (DLP), the opposition and minority party, represents the East Indians. In this study our focus is on the socioeconomic origins and the sociopolitical perceptions and attitudes of the East Indian elites. term here is used strictly in the sense of Harold Lasswell, who wrote, The concept of the elite is classificatory and descriptive designating the holder of high position in a given