widespread involvement of seychellois in their own political affairs began in 1948 after world war ii, when britain granted suffrage to approximately 2,000 adult male property owners, who then elected four members to the legislative council that advised the governor. the winning candidates were drawn from a group known as the seychelles taxpayers' and producers' association (stpa), which represented the landed strata of society — known colloquially as the "grands blancs" (great whites). the stpa defended its members' interest in matters of crop marketing and other issues and was the principal political force in the nation until the early 1960s, when representatives of the small new urban professional and middle class began to win seats.