RISE OF FIDEL CASTRO WHY WAS CASTRO ABLE

RISE OF FIDEL CASTRO

WHY WAS CASTRO ABLE TO SECURE POWER IN CUBA? There were numerous factors that contributed to Castro’s rise in power (see handout for more detail)… 1. Long-standing resentment against the US (political and economic interference) 2. Cuban wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few (and too dependent on export of sugar – no economic diversity) 3. Batista was a caudillo whose rule was brutal, repressive and oppressive

WHY WAS CASTRO ABLE TO SECURE POWER IN CUBA? 4. Since there was no prospect of a peaceful social revolution, many Cubans believed that violent revolution was a necessity. 5. Castro won popular support after his attempt to overthrow Batista (especially when Batista reacted to Castro’s popularity in such a brutal way) 6. US cut off arms supplies to Batista (this was both a blow to Batista’s prestige and created an opportunity for Castro and his guerillas) 7. With his leadership destabilized by Castro, Batista fled Cuba.

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES Redistributive economic policies were the first focus of the Castro regime- collectivist themes were repeated frequently and coercive measures were taken to gain popular support. Urban rents and utility costs were sharply cut, so real wages rose. Tariffs were raised to protect domestic businesses. Property held by Batista supporters expropriated and Cuban-owned firms (such as sugar mills, banks, large wholesale and retail companies) were socialized. Urban Reform Act: socialized all commercially-owned real estate

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES All entrepreneurs were assumed to be anti-revolutionary, and steps were taken to put loyal revolutionaries in charge – even if they were completely incompetent (which most were, inflicting serious long-lasting economic damage on Cuba). Such decisions were justified on the grounds of national security and because direct government ownership of the means of production was seen as necessary for economic planning and growth. Castro (and all leaders of single-party states) believed that “power must be concentrated in the hands of a few to achieve the aspirations of many. ”

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES First Agrarian Reform Act (May 1959) • Created the Instituto Nacional de Reforma Agraria (INRA) • Set a limit to private landholdings, with government ownership of remaining land • Medium and large estates were taken over, which were later converted into state farms based on the Soviet model, with the peasants receiving a salary and a small share of the profits • INRA organized all land reform, and eventually came to control most rural programs (including health, credit, housing, and education)

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES The Confederation of Cuban Workers (CTC) was established in order to: 1. support the government and encourage support for policy 2. have workers participate in “vigilance and defense activities”, or keep watch, and report, on other workers 3. instill cooperation in order to improve “managerial efficiency” 4. maintain “labor discipline” 5. raise workers’ ‘political consciousness’

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES In an effort to clean up the corruption of the Batista era * it was made a capital crime to steal from the government * prostitution and gambling were made illegal New Socialist Man – belief that citizens would work as a result of moral incentives. Everyone was paid the same regardless of quantity or quality of their work. * Che Guevara was made the Minister of Industries with goal of rapid industrialization (pushed the ‘New Socialist Man’ agenda)

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES Che Guevara’s economic policies for Cuba included: - centralized control of state businesses - complete collectivization of means of production - gradual phasing out money and material incentives Cuba’s economic system fell apart quickly… • No economic gains • No prudent resource allocation • No increased labor productivity • No lasting increase in political consciousness Guevara was economically inept and left Cuban in 1965 to assist in the “worldwide socialist revolution. ” He was killed in 1967 in Bolivia.

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES Second Agrarian Reform Law (1963): nationalized land of all mid-sized farms, putting state land holdings over 70%. Collectivization policies peaked in 1968 and resulted in: - decline in all major agricultural commodities (though some can be attributed to bad weather, pests) - use of ration cards to ensure access to basic goods and services Throughout the 1960 s, Castro had begun to abandon year to year economic planning, a central budget and general accounting so these all contributed to Cuba’s economic crisis.

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES In an effort to combat these difficulties, Castro introduced the Ten Million Ton Sugar Crop: Castro arbitrarily set the sugar harvest goal for ten million tons by 1970. It required a mass mobilization of ‘volunteers’ to work in the fields (after 1966 the military joined in). It was huge failure. Officially, the harvest reached 8. 5 million tons (though estimates are much lower) and the attempts almost completely destroyed the nation (like Stalin’s first FYP). Castro was forced to admit its failure and acknowledge low worker productivity, worker absenteeism and it underscore how dependent Cuba was on foreign assistance (particularly the Soviet Union).

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES Following the failure of 1970, Castro made an effort to renew relations with the Soviet Union and, as a result, Soviet technicians, managers became very common in Cuba. The Cuban economy became integrated with that of the Soviets and by 1976 Castro had adopted a Soviet-style Five Year Plan. First FYP (1976 -1981): still unrealistic, reaching only 66% of targeted growth rate. Material incentives reintroduced, private plots permitted in some cases on collectivized land (same as in SU to deal with famine) SU heavily subsized Cuban economy (put billions in throughout 1970 s and 1980 s), but monocrop agriculture was still problematic, created dependency.

CASTRO’S DOMESTIC POLICIES In 1986, Castro launched a retreat from the economic improvements of the past decade (no more material incentives, no selling surplus at farmer’s markets, no private gain of any kind). The Campaign of Rectification of Errors and Negative Tendencies (Rectification Campaign): attacked “vile money” and demanded sacrifices be made This led to another recession from 1986 -1987. Things got worse with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. * Most significant event in Cuban history since Castro’s rise to power