The Aftermath of Revolution CUBA UNDER CASTRO The

The Aftermath of Revolution CUBA UNDER CASTRO

The New Society �Castro had toppled a dictator but the influence of his movement on Cuban society was limited. Solution? �Entered pragmatic alliance with established opposition parties. Result? �Support of middle classes and organised labour. �Alliance with old politicians was seen as tactical necessity but temporary. �Rebel leadership was ‘bourgeois’ in origin but claimed the war had ‘proletarianized’ them.

The New Man �Programme went beyond aim of political sovereignty and social reform. �Aim to build new society and new man on egalitarian basis. Proto-socialism? �Guevara: ‘We will make the man of the twenty-first century: we ourselves’. �Legitimacy of regime?

Consolidation and Centralisation �Power concentrated in a few hands. �Batista officials faced ‘people’s courts’ and executed. �Liberal democratic institutions abolished. �Promised elections cancelled. �Judiciary compromised. Judges appointed by Castro. �Free press closed down. �Unions and private organisations lost independence.

Revolution eats its own children �Opposition within movement who expected return of liberal democracy. �Urrutia resigned as Head of State. �Exodus to Miami. �Many feared Castro’s radical changes (and of more to come).

The New Vision �Only way to make profound social and economic change was to break the historic impasse of economic subordination to foreign (US) interests and dependence on sugar. �Castro was a patriot but solution to Cuba’s dilemma pointed him in the direction of socialism. Alternative?

Enthusiasm versus Ideology �Price freeze and large wage increases. Purpose and result? �Agrarian Law Reform of May 1959. (Cooperatives) �Nationalisation of Industries and Utilities. Purpose and result? �Confrontations with Washington. �February 1960 agreement with Soviet Union. Terms?

Divorce US Style �Nationalisation of US oil refineries. Justification? �US retaliation? �Cuban Response? �October 1960 US Embargo by Eisenhower. �Fears of US invasion leads to revolution taking on widespread militaristic fervour. Describe? �‘Committees for the Defence of the Revolution’.

Bay of Pigs �US decision to rely on Cuban exiles underestimated Castro’s popularity and military readiness. �US humiliation on April 15 th 1961 boosted Castro’s status as a patriot. �Soviet’s had promised to defend Cuba. Now decided to send armaments. �October 1962. US spy plane revealed nuclear weapons on Cuba. �Cuban Missile crisis ensured permanent US hostility To Cuba and their absorption into Soviet Sphere of Influence.

Building the Revolutionary State �Fundamental aim was to end sugar export economy and diversify agriculture. �Aims to be achieved by socialist methods. �Four Year Plan and central planning. �Workers to be motivated by ‘moral incentives’ and not by material benefits.

Catch 22 �No foreign reserves and declining export earnings. �No capital to invest in developing manufacturing sector. �Us Embargo being felt. �Reliance on Soviets for technical aid and financial credits. �PROBLEMS? �Inefficiencies, lack of productivity, erratic decisions.

Mistakes and Mismanagement �Peasant cooperatives organised and then replaced by collectivisation in State Farms because sugar industry needed huge plantations. �Peasants paid wages and set production targets. �Many problems and shortages, e. g. , too many cattle slaughtered. Sowing , planting, fertilizing mismanaged. �RESULT WAS INABILITY TO SUPPLY FOODSTUFFS TO THE NATION AS A WHOLE.

The Communist View �In 1963 Castro decided industrialisation would be subordinated to sugar production. �Sugar would be developed as never before. �Target of 10 million tons of sugar by 1970. �Aim to be largest producer in world and dictate terms. �Harvests lagged behind targets.

Popular Reactions �Opponents went into exile allowing consolidation of power but loss of technical skill. �Peasants and workers largely supported the regime. � 40% increase in wages over 3 years wasted productive resources of country. �RATIONING REMAINED A PERMANENT FEATURE OF DAILY LIFE.

General support ensured �Improvements in living standards. �Nourished, clothed and sheltered. �Unemployment eliminated by public works. �Social security established. �Free medical care. �Free schooling and training.

Revolution in Attitudes �Racial equality promoted. �Women given equal rights. �Deep sense of national pride instilled. �Despite economic pragmatism, REMAINED LOYAL TO GUEVARA’S MORAL REVOLUTION. �COMMITMENT TO EXPORTING CUBAN MODEL OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO LATIN AMERICA AND THIRD WORLD.

…BUT NOT IN ECONOMICS �Only 8 and a half million tons reached by 1970. �Economy distorted. �THE CENTRAL ECONOMIC AIM OF THE REVOLUTION HAD BEEN FRUSTRATED. INDUSTRIALIZATION HAD TO BE ABANDONED. CUBA REMAINED A ONE CROP EXPORT ECONOMY. �CUBA DEPENDENT ON SOVIET GOODWILL AND OIL.

Forward with Pragmatism �Until 1970 s Castro continued to rule in direct manner. �In 1970 s revolution was institutionalized on Soviet Model. �Communist Party assigned role as supreme organ of state. �Economic management in hands of communist planners. � 1976 Soviet style constitution approved by plebiscite.

Regime of Austerity �Criticisms of lack of political freedom and civil rights �The Padilla Affair �Growing dissastifaction with political controls (and rationing). � 11, 000 at Peruvian Embassy, 1980 seeking asylum � 125, 000 embarked including mental patients. �Counter demonstrations organised. �ECONOMIC PERMONANCE CONTINUED TO DEGENERATE IN 1980 s DUE TO THE ‘TRADITIONAL PROBLEM’ Which was?

The Revolutionary Achievement �Eliminated grave social and economic inequality. �Rents low. �Excellent Health Service. �Free Education. �FORGING OF A COMMON NATIONAL SPIRIT.

The unresolved Impasse �Collapse of Communism laid bare the fact that Cuba had not overcome its dependence on a foreign power for its sugar exports. �Winning economic autonomy seemed as distant as it ever had.