Category: Fidel Castro

“To what extent did Fidel Castro successfully revolutionize Cuba, politically, economically, and Socially between 1959-the 1990s” Can he be considered a hero?

Through the spotlight, on Fidel Castro, it is evident that he successfully revolutionized Cuba politically, economically, and socially from 1959 through to the 1990s through the use of Guerilla warfare to overthrow Batista through civilian movement and the utilization of international relations for Cuba’s economy and international affairs. These two factors contributed greatly to Castro’s successful defeat against Batista’s government and thus, started the course of Cuba’s communist revolution.

Evidently, by utilizing historical context, it is coherent that Castro used Guerilla Warfare in successful attempts of revolutionizing Cuba politically, and economically. During the 1950s Castro implemented the use of Guerilla warfare with the intent of taking over Cuba by throwing Batista and his army out of power which would later successfully be achieved in early 1959. The movement became so strong that it was evident to Batista that he would not win, this premature defeat forced Batista to step down and flee the country. Economically it is clear that the use of Guerrilla warfare was extremely cost-effective and would’ve taken revolutionary advances over Batista’s army, as their use of warfare worked to be less costly and had no damage to Cuba’s economy. Whereas, Bastisa recruited many soldiers to fight Castro which at the time took a toll on the workforce that was already damaged. Batista’s need for defense weapons immensely disturbed the already economically struggling country. The people did not favor Batista’s economical choices as they pushed the public into extreme forms of poverty and social classes. In a 1959 Partial Newsreel titled “Castro Triumphant! Revolt Success, Batista Flees as Castro takes over Cuba” we can see the social impact as the Guerilla’s marched into the city of Havana with local civilians following them as they celebrated the new rule to Cuba. The people in the videos praised the Guerrillas for their efforts as the civilians destroyed public property linked to Batista’s regime such as Casinos or high social classes’ property. As Jorge Barrera 2009 reiterated “it is the individual guerilla that sets the example for social reform and armed rebellion; the people then carry it forward” (Jorge Barrera 2009). Through video sources, we can identify a social response to the success of Guerilla warfare and why the people chose to politically prefer Castro’s new regime as it represented civilians’ future economical hopes as they welcomed Castro’s ideology for a new nation. Castro explained such warfare, as “the only troops able to win the war alone – right here. Those troops are the people!” (Address speech by commander-in-chief- Fidel Castro on his arrival in Havana on January 8th, 1959), through this extract, one can see the Cuban public was included in the revolution through the infiltration of Guerilla warfare. Castro’s utilization of the public to overthrow the Batista regime was an excellent way of revolutionizing Cuba, as civilians felt involved and their political aspirations were met. Through the study of Guerilla warfare’s influence on Castro’s success in the revolution, it’s noted that it had successful political, economical, and social effects on the revolutionary outcome.

Through international relations over time, Castro successfully revolutionized Cuba into a new reformed era. He established a major political alliance with the U.S.S.R, breaking away from ties with the USA under Batista’s old regime where Cuba had previously relied immensely on American trade as a major contributor to the economy. Castro began to grow a relationship with the U.S.S.R under the common belief of communist ideology, this relationship was a major factor in the process of politically revolutionizing Cuba. In Castro’s speech (facing US aggression, July 9th, 1960) he creates a social reaction by informing Cuba of the U.S.A’s previous violation of trust: “Our relations with the United States have previously been excellent in matters of support. Today this spirit has been violated”. The population felt betrayed by the recent turmoil from the US and in this time of unrest, Castro used the people’s disappointment to favor the Soviet Union, demonstrating the social impact on the population in supporting the revolution. Castro emphasizes the protection that is to come with such relations in “The Soviet ships to arrive are:” which helps persuade the Cuban public towards communist ideology, as the only resolution for the crumbling country with a corrupt economy. Through the Soviet Union’s alliance with Cuba, economic aid was given to the weakened economy, through resources such as trade agreements and financial assistance during the revolution. Such aid is reflected by Robert S. Walters in “Simultaneously there was announced a Soviet credit to Cuba of $100m. Which would be used for equipment, machinery, materials and technical assistance from the U.S.S.R over the next 5 years” (Walters 1966). In relation to the successfulness of Castro’s influence in the social, political, and economical revolution of Cuba it is predominantly clear that the use of international relations assisted him in the process of revolutionizing Cuba.

Conclusively, through the study of Fidel Castro’s utilization of Guerilla warfare and international relations, it is evident that he was successful in revolutionizing Cuba into a stable and thriving political, social and economical nation.

In the 1950s the controlling tyrant Fidel Castro took charge of the nation of Cuba. Castro imprisoned and killed thousands of Cuban people that dared to oppose him as well as destroyed Cuba’s economic prosperity through his connection to Russia. The revolutionary leaders’ introduction of restrictions had long-term effects on the public media in the country.

Fidel Castro’s close relationship with the soviet union annihilated Cuba’s previously stable economic state sending the country into a crisis. During the Russian revolution, global sugar production dropped creating wealth for the nations that continued to harvest the crop. This monopoly created a boom in Cuba’s economy and lead to the nation developing into a monoculture relying entirely on money from its sugar exports. During Castro’s reign, his communist ideals led him to ally Cuba and himself with the soviet union causing the US to retaliate creating a trade embargo against Cuba. The embargo caused the economy of Cuba to collapse as it created difficulty in attaining parts for the predominantly US-made machinery used in the sugar grinding mills as well as other imports to the country. Additionally, the loss of the u.s as a viable partner in trade instituted increased costs for transport and greater difficulties in global communication. The collapse of the sugar industry sent mass amounts of the country into poverty yet those in the destitute state became more attracted to the idea of a communist society gaining Castro’s support among the lower classes. This appealing system of government leads Cuba to further involve itself with the soviet union placing further stress on the tense diplomatic relationship with the u.s. It was this involvement that concerned the u.s to such an extent that the US intelligence committee advised that Castro be removed from power by any means necessary. This advice lead to 634 assassination attempts as claimed by Castro’s former secret service chief with the US going as far as enlisting infamous American mafia members and bizarre plots such as the ‘exploding cigar’. Yet despite their efforts, the tyrant survived each attempt and continued to rule Cuba. Russia’s welcomed involvement in Cuban politics and global stance upturned the country’s monoculture creating mass poverty

Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro had an underlying draconian aspect to his reign misusing his power to restrict freedom of thought and speech. Fidel Castro crossed the boundaries of the legality of national censorship early on in his rule of Cuba. In 1963 Cuba became the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to jam radio broadcasts, this being achieved using equipment acquired from Castro’s political ally, the soviet union. The targets for these measures were various stations in the US that had continued to disagree with Castro’s regime. Havana, Cuba’s capital, had one hundred and thirty-five movie theatres previous to Castro’s introduction of a Communist regime, with this amount totaling more than New York City or Paris. Less than twenty of those remain open in present-day Havana despite the population of the city has doubled. Castro struck with his controlling communist regime and established full control of Cuba’s film industry, making it mandatory for all movies to be censored by the ‘Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos’ (Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry) before being broadcast or released to the public.

Castro introduced censorship laws restricting freedom of speech with their effects still evident in modern-day Cuba with Cubans still prohibited from listening to or watching independent, private, or foreign broadcasts, not being allowed to read books, magazines, or newspapers unless they have been approved or published by the government as well as not being able to receive publications from abroad or from visitors. The drastic actions Castro took in terms of censorship lost him the support of many Cuban citizens and notable figures globally as well as had long-term effects on Cuba.

Fidel Castro inflicted harsh punishment on innocent individuals on the grounds that they simply disagreed or opposed him. Throughout Castro’s reign, he permitted the incarceration of thousands of Cuban people who were sent to live in the poor conditions of Cuba’s prisons. Countless more were exposed to harassment and intimidation tactics with basic political freedoms denied for entire generations. Castro was not opposed to political murder either as a multitude of different guesses as to the sheer amount of executions carried out on behalf of Cuba’s government it is estimated that within the first two months of 1959, Castro’s government executed more than 300 Batista officials with Latin American historian Thomas E. Skidmore stating that there had been 550 executions in the first six months of 1959.

The subjugation was made law and enforcement was carried out by security teams and furthered by a corrupt judiciary system that lacked independence and instead was tied to politics and its pressures.

These invasive activities impeded the practice of fundamental rights, creating a ‘climate of fear’ within communist Cuba.

This fear led to many Cubans feeling helplessly pressured into showing their allegiance to the state while unable to emit criticism.

The current Cuban government is still heavily impacted by Fidel Castro’s rule with many of Castro’s abusive tactics introduced under his rules such as physical intimidation, battery arbitrary detention, and public acts of repudiation still being used today.

The Cuban population had been diseased with fear, leaving mass amounts of people with the mindset that the only option was to escape the dictator. According to statements from the US government, an estimated 1.2 million Cubans, or ten percent of the current population of Cuba, deserted the country to seek refuge in the US between the years 1959 and 1993. A vast amount of Cubans chose to relocate to Miami, Florida leading to the city’s heavy present-day Cuban influence. Castro came into power with the promise to be a leader for the people but early on in his reign Castro demonstrated that he chose only to fairly lead those who agreed with his ways, with him violating the human rights of anyone who opposed him.

As a leader Fidel Castro was a harsh dictator, holding Cuba under a strict draconian rule violating human rights, wrecking Cuba’s economy overseeing and orchestrating frequent murders throughout his rule.

The circumstances of South & Central America during the 1950s & 1960s did play a role as well in the way his career was chosen. During the 1950s a dictator by the name of Fulgencio Batista was in charge of Cuba. Born in 1901, Batista was born into a sugar-harvesting family. When he was 20 years old he decided to join the army where he had a successful career. He was promoted to colonel of a specific sector within the Cuban army and later in 1939, he was elected as the President of Cuba. His right-wing political views made him an unpopular political leader that the population of Cuba did not appreciate or respect.

Batista came to power a few months after the 1952 elections where he did not receive majority votes. He overthrew the Cuban government and stated himself as the leader of the country. His rule was oppressive, the poor were not looked after and were not provided for. The rich were able to survive as long as they paid a fee to Batista where he would gain profits. Being so close to America, Cuba was a destination for many rich Americans to gamble and party. Cuba was becoming an area for people to do anything they wanted to do essentially.

The rule of Batista was so biased toward the rich that it took only around one year for a group of people to attack. This attack was carried out on July 26th, 1953 led by a man by name of Fidel Castro. Although this attack was considered a failure, it gave people even more of a reason to go against Batista. He implemented a rule due to his paranoia after the failed attack which he called the “10 to 1” order. Which implied that for every soldier that was killed, ten random civilians were to be killed as a scare tactic. After this specific attack, Batista would arrest many political rebels and guerrillas that were fighting against his views of him. More specifically, Castro was arrested along with his remaining army and was held in a Cuban prison for two years. It took less than five years after his release for Castro to gain a massive following. Not long after Castro had been released from prison is when Guevara started to get involved in this movement that Castro was making.

Guevara would be introduced to him and he started to obtain a lot of messages that the Castro brothers were trying to portray to the Cuban people. Guevara agreed heavily with the Castro brothers because they were explaining to him all the troubles that Cuba was going through, and Guevara having seen these problems first hand amplified his feelings toward the matter drastically since he knew that the country was not being run properly. Guevara and Castro were the perfect combinations that made Cuba a more sustainable country as they were the fighting force that was going to change lives for everyone and more specifically, the poor. Due to a poor leader, there was a bad economy. The money that could have been spent on improving the lives of the poor was going to the pockets of Batista and his family. This result was a warning sign to many Cubans that there needed to be a drastic change quickly. Roughly, 40% of the money that was being made because of the casinos built in Havana to attract tourists was going to Batista’s and his family’s bank accounts.

In late 1958, Batista lost trust and control of the Cuban army and government, he had to flee to the Dominican Republic after his reputation was completely destroyed. To an extent, this is why the times of the 1950s and 60s were so important for Guevara. Had Batista not been in power, then there would be no revolt against him led by Castro which arguably could’ve meant that there would have been no political career for Che Guevara. Generally, the scenes of this time period really gave Guevara a perspective on the matter, he was experiencing somebody destroying a functional country just because of greed. It was a combination of desired profits, power, and control, Batista was guilty of being a person that was very egotistical and prioritized his own life rather than the improvement of the country that he was ruling. One can assume that he felt attacked personally and victimized as he came from quite an average family because they would also be targeted in the world of Batista. Not only that, but he had beliefs that were opposed completely to Batista, Guevara may have compared these two ideologies and evaluated which he felt was more efficient, obviously thinking that his own was the more beneficial one for Cuba.

For these reasons, it was important that Guevara was born into these times, because had he not been, there is a possibility that there wouldn’t be a career for him in politics. Furthermore, in this particular sense, the circumstances of the region and the time frame were crucial in exposing opportunities for him to intervene and start his rule of changing the area into his ideal vision. It offered him opposing threats that he needed to eliminate, it showed him the inevitable results of what South and Central America could potentially have if this ruling was still carried out but it also gave him major support as many people agreed with his vision of opposing Batista and the regime that he was trying to implement. That is why this time period in this specific area was so crucial in ultimately setting his political career up.

In recent world history, the western hemisphere has evolved to give birth to some of the most successful, and troubled, countries of the modern world. The history of triangle trade and the Columbian exchange of disease, food, and diseases. The Spanish imperialized much of the New World, disturbing native politics and society to establish their own. This included an economic focus on sugar production, leading to the mass enslavement of native people and the introduction of African people as another source of slave labor. Thus, the history of the New World began, leading us to Cuba. This Spanish colony stayed loyal to her mother country for about 400 years until the Cuban War of Independence in 1898. Castro effectively played on Cuba’s political unrest and employed USSR connections, speeches, and the radio to gain power, and he was not successful in fulfilling his declared ideology.

From time under Spanish colonial rule, Cuba has developed a unique culture. There has long been tension between white and non-white populations originating from times of slavery. It is estimated that around 60% of the population today are descendants of slaves (Cuba Libre). After the Spanish-American War, there was a labor shortage in Cuba, and many ex-Spanish soldiers such as Castro’s father, Angel, migrated to Cuba in search of prosperity (Cuba Libre). Fidel Castro was born an illegitimate son of his father and was raised with kids of others under Angel’s employment (Cuba Libre). This aided Castro’s understanding of the struggles of the lower classes.

Cuba has long had an established economic tendency of crop specialization. In the 1500s, Cuba’s main crop was tobacco, but it also produced substantial amounts of sugar (Cuba Libre). By 1850, sugar had overtaken the economy (Gonzales 96). The United States was Cuba’s top buyer and had an enormous quota of sugar, which stabilized Cuba’s risky monocrop economy (Cuba Libre). During harvesting season, Cuban unemployment is relatively low, yet during the off-season it shoots up, leading to an impoverished nation with economic troubles.

For such a young nation, Cuba has also had much political turmoil and corruption. The United States fought for Cuban independence during the Spanish-American War and enforced the Platt Amendment in Cuba, giving them much control (Whitney 2). After this, US corporate investment skyrocketed, amounting to over $150,000,000 by 1906 (Cuba Libre). In 1901 Cuba had a successful constitutional convention, after which Cubans voted for the 1st time, and in 1924, Gerardo Machado ran for office on a platform of self-reliance and economic restructuring away from US corporate control (Cuba Libre). Corporations had invested in Cuba’s railroads, and Machado initiated a national highway investment to put money back into Cuba’s economy (Cuba Libre). This strategy of self-reliance is very similar to what Fidel Castro later intended to do. Unfortunately, the global economy collapsed in 1926, causing more economic troubles and anti-Machado riots pushing him to resign (Cuba Libre).

In 1933, General Batista took power after Machado. Batista led a puppet government, but in 1940 Batista himself ran for president and established the 1940 constitution pushing reforms (Whitney 3, 4). The US was skeptical of such a left-leaning constitution and Batista’s relations with the USSR, but he complied with US policy (Cuba Libre). After his term, Batista left Cuba for Florida, returning in 1952 to take power in a coup, leading to a police state by 1953 (Cuba Libre).

As Fidel Castro entered higher-level schooling, he was exposed to new ideas and ideologies at his college campus. Students held riots and pledged allegiance to communism (Gallo 18). Around the same time, WWII began, increasing sugar prices and benefitting Cuba’s economy so much that the period was named tiempo de vacas gordas, with record-low unemployment (Cuba Libre). Yet after the war, Cuba was producing much more sugar than before, despite plummeting sugar prices, sending Cuba into its tiempo de vacas flacas (Cuba Libre).

Before attempting to overthrow Batista, Castro was training himself and followers on the island Cayo Confiles in preparation to join the 1947 Dominican Republic revolution, yet the group didn’t go (Cuba Libre). Castro went to Bogota the next year to take part in the revolutionary riots (Gallo 5). At home, Castro worked as a lawyer, allowing him to legally challenge Batista’s government, yet this attempt failed (Cuba Libre). Castro later led an attempt to take the Moncada Barracks, the second-largest military installment, on July 26th (Gallo 14). This drastically failed, leading to the arrest or execution of himself and his comrades in 1953 (Gallo 14). Castro’s History Will Absolve Me speech given during his trial is still quoted today. The speech demonstrated Castro’s ideology and had planks for farmer-owned farms, reestablishing the 1940 constitution, more profit to workers, and confiscating items obtained through fraud (Gallo 14). Batista released Castro and other surviving attackers on Mother’s Day of 1955, and Castro publicly announced his intent to return and succeed (Cuba Libre).

Upon his release from prison, Castro and some followers left for Mexico where they met Ernesto “Che” Guevara, a socialist revolutionary, and other Cuban exiles (Cuba Libre). With this crew, Castro and Guevara planned their return to Cuba in 1956 (Gallo 5). Around the same time, there were many riots in Cuba from workers, students, and former soldiers (Cuba Libre). Castro and Che accumulated a crew and weapons, and Dr. Carlos Prio provided most of the supplies (Gallo 9). Castro had released a manifesto beforehand and had made plans with contacts in Cuba to meet, but the journey took 2 additional days and Batista’s army awaited the arrival of the Granma and her passengers (Cuba Libre). They engaged in a battle where most of the 82 members were killed (Cuba Libre). Castro and his remaining crew fled to the Sierra Maestra Mountains and engaged in guerilla warfare, moving from town to town, accumulating a following and extracting resources (Gallo 8). They implemented religious elements when working with common folk to tie them to the revolution (McGuinness 2).

Castro intelligently employed mass media in his campaign. He had connections with the New York Times, which ran articles revealing his survival after the conflict with Batista’s soldiers (Cuba Libre). In 1958, Havana hosted an international motorcar grand prix where Castro supporters kidnapped racer Juan Fangio before the prix (Cuba Libre). Upon his release, Fangio publicly made known his support for Castro’s cause (Cuba Libre). Guevara ran the radio station Radio Rebelde, through which Castro’s campaign accumulated most of its fame and support (Judson 9).

In 1958, Castro’s campaign split into 2 groups to take Havana and Santiago. In Santiago, Castro nearly lost a battle against Batista’s forces, but broadcast it as a win on the radio (Cuba Libre). The US soon asked Batista to resign, and he fled to Santa Clara, leaving Cuba in chaos (Judson 12, Cuba Libre). On January 1st, 1959, Castro and his troops were able to take over Santiago and Havana without resistance (Cuba Libre). Much of Castro’s success is due to the weakened position of Batista and his forces. Batista agreed to hold fair elections overseen by international committees in 1958, yet his soldiers continued to increase violence against dissenters, leading to US refusal to send arms (Gallo 10).

Castro united many of the other anti-Batista groups under his regime, establishing one government with a council of ministers, making him the single party ruler of Cuba (Cuba Libre). As time went by, Castro replaced ministers with his own people and appointed himself prime minister (Gallo 11). He had presented himself as a friend to the US, yet as an anti-American to Cuba and the USSR (Gallo 4). Castro sent his dissidents and other nonconforming populations to labor camps to silence them and unify the nation (Fletcher).

With his power, Castro expropriated many American companies (Cuba Libre). This correct fraud committed under Batista as demonstrated as show Castro’s support for people, not companies. The United States swiftly responded to this with an embargo, and later cut its sugar quota (Purcell 1, Cuba Libre). Much US investment disappeared, and many elites left Cuba (Cuba Libre). The CIA planned and executed an attack later known as the Bay of Pigs in 1961, and they also supplied weapons to the plentiful anti-Castro rebels in the Escambray Mountains (Cuba Libre). The Bay of Pigs attack was a drastic fail, cementing the appearance that Castro was the rightful leader of Cuba (Cuba Libre).

As Castro alienated himself from the US, he closely tied Cuba with the Soviet Union. They were the economic model of national industrialization Castro saw for Cuba, and the USSR aided in attempting to accomplish this (Cuba Libre). The USSR also helped economically where the US cut down, such as on the sugar quota (Cuba Libre). Collaboration with Cuba also benefited the USSR when the US placed nuclear warheads in Turkey. Cuba was used to equalize pressures, leading to the Cuban-Missile Crisis which caused a mutual de-escalation between America and the Soviets (Todd). Cuba also helped spread the reach of communism throughout Latin America (Kline 3). This was not one of his planks, but rather a way to differentiate himself from Batista.

Castro had always been happy to let those who disagree with him leave, and many people took advantage of this. Especially as the economic situation in Cuba degraded, people were unhappy and left Cuba for the US, placing more strain on Cuban-American relations (Purcell 3). Castro was never truly communist, and his public conversion to communism in 1963 and compliance with USSR demands was intended to make Cuba politically and economically stronger. For a time, this tactic worked, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Castro lost a strong ally and economic security, leading to economic collapse and increased willingness to reform, beginning 1991 Special Period (Purcell 2, Gonzales 39).

Castro implemented drastic social changes while in power. He supported a campaign against illiteracy in the 1960’s and created labor organizations such as the Student Work Brigades (Gonzales 33, 34). Here, the youth was indoctrinated into the regime. Yet, many were unhappy with the regime and, with the return of richer relatives, the 1980 Mariel exodus to Florida ignited (Gonzales 38). The Cuban pension program was another initiative, supporting the elderly and reducing poverty (Gonzales 44). The Federation of Cuban Women was created, aimed at increasing revolutionary actions for women (Randall). Racial tensions against Afro-Cubans remained, visible in the tourism industry (Gonzales 107). Castro’s relationship with religion fluctuated. He initially fought against Catholicism, most likely because that population included his largest dissenters (McGuinness 1). Yet Castro met with the Pope in 1996 and took a warm approach to religion in Cuba (McGuinness 1). It is also possible that Catholicism was discouraged because the USSR model of socialism had no place for religion.

Castro failed in establishing his ideology in many ways, but mostly because of his attachment to the Soviet Union and thus necessity to do things as they wanted. There is also an element of obscurity about Castro’s real ideological beliefs. He was an opportunistic leader, demonstrated in his gradual conversion to socialism as well as the integration of Guevara’s guerilla warfare. Due to this, Castro’s beliefs seem to evolve with time, creating a situation where it is very difficult to identify what Castro truly believed in when grasping for power. Therefore, the History Will Absolve Me speech, the stated ideology of the first attempt at seizing power, is the most accurate ideology to compare with.

References

1. Burns, Bradford. Latin American: A Concise Interpretive History. 2002.
2. Cuba Libre Story, The. Directed by Jon Alpert, performance by Ken Eaken, etc., Netflix, 2016. https://www.netflix.com/title/80109535.
3. Gallo, Patrick J. “Castro and the Cuban Revolution.” Rivista Di Studi Politici Internazionali, vol. 41, no. 1 (161), 1974, pp. 81–98. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/42733799.
4. Gonzalez, Edward, and Kevin F. McCarthy. Cuba After Castro: Legacies, Challenges, and Impediments. 1st ed., RAND Corporation, 2004. JSTOR, ww.jstor.org/stable/10.7249/mg111rc.
5. Fletcher, Pascal. “Cuba’s New Constitution: What’s in and What’s Out.” BBC News, BBC, 26 July 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44971445.
6. Judson, Fred. “Anti-Imperialism in the Cuban Rebel Army: The Sum of Precedents and Experiences of Armed Struggle.” NS, NorthSouth, vol. 8, no. 16, 1983, pp. 75–90. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41803458.
7. Kline, Michael. “Castro and ‘New Thinking’ in Latin America.” Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, vol. 32, no. 1, 1990, pp. 83–118. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/166130.
8. McGuinness, Eamonn. “Castro’s Leap of Faith.” The World Today, vol. 54, no. 1, 1998, pp. 16–17. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40476017.
9. Peceny, Mark. “A Constructivist Interpretation of the Liberal Peace: The Ambiguous Case of the
10. Spanish-American War.” Journal of Peace Research, vol. 34, no. 4, 1997, pp. 415–430. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/424863.
11. Purcell, Susan Kaufman. “The Cuban Illusion: Keeping the Heat on Castro.” Foreign Affairs, vol. 75, no. 3, 1996, pp. 159–161. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20047645.
12. Randall, Margaret. “Federation of Cuban Women.” Off Our Backs, vol. 5, no. 3, 1975, pp. 7–7. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25772159.
13. Todd, Allan, and Sally Walker. “Authoritarian and Single-Party States.”
14. Whitney, Robert. “The Architect of the Cuban State: Fulgencio Batista and Populism in Cuba, 1937-1940.” Journal of Latin American Studies, vol. 32, no. 2, 2000, pp. 435–459. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/158571.

Reflection essay on corrupting power.

This warning from Acton, a politician, and moralist, is as applicable today as it was in 1887 (Acton Institute, 2019), and can apply to individuals, organizations, and governments. According to Merriam Webster (2019), power is defined as the “possession of control, authority, or influence over others”. Power is that which leadership inevitably results in the absence of the ability to contain and communicate sense both internally and externally. Frequently, when given power, individuals revert to fundamental inhibitions and once steadfast morals to pursue their own agenda, often neglecting those whom they are supposed to lead. The contemplation of both historical and contemporary events and culture only further prove the ideology suggested by Acton. Such examples include the corrupt communist governments of Soviet Russia, Cuba and China, the African nations of Uganda and Sudan, and the actions of Congressman Frank Underwood in the popular Netflix series House of Cards.

Historically, total power and corruption are typical in nations under communist rule, with the actions of political leaders typically resulting in horrific casualties and the tainting of cultural heritage. Cuba’s Fidel Castro was born into the working class and was disgusted by the corruption which ran rampant in the government, and its failure to achieve social justice. Castro led and won a revolution, and established himself as dictator. Ironically, Castro would then limit freedom of expression and execute any who would oppose his rule, in doing so becoming the very thing he rebelled against (Biography.com Editors, 2019). Castro served as an example of a revolutionary leader whose true intentions were forgotten once the insatiable desire for power took hold, resulting in the embodiment of the ideals that they once opposed.

The rise of Joseph Stalin in Soviet Russia was analogous to Castro, yet unique in his pre-existing moral degeneracy which presented in various criminal activities in his early life (Montefiore, 2007). Stalin grew up during the time when Bolshevik-led revolutionary philosophies were starting to undermine the existing power over the Russian Empire held by the Tsars. This culminated in the deaths of the entire royal family and the consolidation of Bolshevik power by 1917 under Vladimir Lenin. Lenin’s passing in 1924 gave way to Stalin’s leadership, making him the most powerful man in Russia. Such absolute power would exist through a one-party state where corrupt trials, secret police and brutal enforcers were used. Ultimately, Stalin would be remembered for the massacres of tens of millions of his own people, leaving a contaminated cultural heritage that continues into the 21st century (History.com Editors, 2019). Stalin grew up without much power, and resorted to making his own through violence, much like Castro, however, Stalin was unique in his already flawed moral compass, which was only exacerbated by the corrupting nature of power.

Cuba was originally an Indigenous country. In 1492 October 28th a man named Christopher Columbus found and settled Cuba. After the settlement, Cuba began to become a main resource of tobacco then became slavery for the Cubans. Cuba became ruled by Spain at the time. In the late 19th century America and Spain fought for Country Spain began to withdraw from Cuba till Fulgencio Batista became the Cuban President(1940-1959). Batista’s presidential role was significant but then was later on taken over by Fidel Castro. In 1953 the conflict after then began to spread in Cuba as the rebellion began to form by 2 leaders Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. The 2 leaders began their rise towards president Batista. While using guerrilla warfare Castro succeeded in his rise to the presidential role. Castro then began to use his power to use towards his country beginning to make it a communistic country.

Fidel Castro was born in 1926 13th of August. He was born in Cuba Biran at the age of 14 he attended Universidad de la Habana as he was into political studies. He then graduated and became interested in the rebellion he felt that the original president need to be overthrown Castro lead a failed attack again Batista’s forces. Castro was sentenced 1 year after the sentence and then went to Mexico to then again plan to overthrow Batista again Castro then began his rise by getting help from other high people such as Che Guevara and also help from south Africa on the urge to overpower Batista’s military forces by using Guerilla warfare. In 1959 Castro succeeded in his rise to become president and then showed his presidential power by defending US forces that did not want him in power this event was called “The bay of pigs invasion“ After then Castro had then used his power to make Cuba a communist nation while also allying himself with the Soviet Union. This then lead to “The Cuban Missile Crisis” As Russia had made nuclear missiles on Cuban land. The communist country was run under strict rules and Castro had implied on making these rules with serious consequences. The Cuban people were not too happy with these changes that Castro had made. Most people referred to him as a dictator he many people had attempted to flee Cuba as they did not want to live there anymore and would prefer to live in the US because it was the closest and safest play to go from Cuba.

Castro believed he was politically correct for his decisions he had planned to make the country communist for many years. The Rumours were that Castro had made the country communistic for his presidential state to be confirmed as in he did not want any other people to overrun his dictatorship. (‘The plan was to kill him any type of way we could … we would have strangled him if we had to.’ A Cuban exile on Castro’s trip to the Dominican Republic in August 1998) The Dominican Republic has shown that people had attempted to assassinate Castro in every possible way. The Dominican Republic uses exaggeration to show how desperate people were to get rid of Castro. Castro had tried to make plans for Cuba to be a good place but once the people were getting harsh punished for these strict new laws the people in Cuba and outside noticed this and became he became quite clear that he was not running Cuba in the right direction. Although Cuba has been heard as a place that people were fleeing from other perspectives Cuba has been noted as a successful place in the economy with some statistics of 11 billion each year for Healthcare and professional funds. This shows that income of the average range for the average bill in Cuba. There are over 50000 Cuban doctors which work overseas in 67 countries “army of white” (Time magazine). By the statistics of these doctors, the Cuban educational range would be satisfactory for all kids as they have the right to free education and Universal healthcare. Cuban kids now have a chance in becoming wealthy and successful themselves. Castro had implied to have good health care for his country for the sake of a “good and fair” country “The universal healthcare and free education were two big investments of the revolution“(Mark Keller Time Magazine). Castro in 1961 was targeted by US forces several times. This attack was called the “Bay of Pigs” invasion helped by Cuban exiles. This attack led by John F Kennedy the US president at the current time was unsuccessful as Castro’s forces were ready for the attempt of the US to attack him. Castro had made the country communistic after the “Bay of Pigs” attempt he then began to ally himself with Russia at the time. Russia had plans of developing Nuclear Weapons such as missiles this was called the “Cuban Missile Crisis”. This affected the US at the time as they had been allied with Russia and wanted to attack Russia’s new ally Cuba. Castro’s power was not questioned by his people, not because they trusted him he had made the country communistic this was affecting the people as they could not speak out for themselves which then became an issue for Castro as he was seen that he was unfair to his people in the mind of the US.

In 1958, one year before Castro had defeated Batista and become the president Castro had gone to Mexico for a small group when then led to the Cuban revolution. Castro made his rebellion to attack western Cuba against Spanish troops as well. Castro and his rebellion were using “guerrilla warfare” this type of warfare was strategies to take out Spanish and Cuban troops without as many men. This warfare was extremely successful for Castro as they began to take over the country in 1958 December Batista was not in command of his country. Cuba at the time was unsure of Castro’s appearance in political forms as he was just a leader of a rebellion at the time. But then Castro began to apply some new laws to Cuba and planned to make it a better country. The allied with Spain had not continued as Castro did not require them. 1959 April Castro had requested some financial help from the US for army troops the US declined his offer. At this time the US socially did not like Castro they did not think he was politically ready for his role as president. Castro was not seen as a president in the US mind they saw him much of a dictator. This became an issue for Castro as John F Kennedy did not want him as a president. Kennedy had no other option to resolve an attack. People in Cuba had known about this and were concerned but Castro forces had fought them off. Castro had shown that his leadership role is serious and to make rule his country I believe that he had made his country communistic for the people’s sake and for his own people.

Fidel Castro had a huge impact on Cuba through his political career and during the Cuban revolution. Castro had been a targeted man from many countries including Cuba this was very hard for him as there were many attempts to assassinate him such as poisoning his cigar which were all failed attempts. Castro’s role as a communist leader was quite clear that he was in power he wanted to show his power by having those strict laws. The strict laws had strong consequences for the Cuban people which then was an issue for them as they felt they were put in a “giant prison”. Castro made an attempt to better his country By giving back with healthcare and education funds. The Cuban people were also not happy with the “ Cuban Missile Crisis” This affected Cuban people and they did not want Russian nuclear missiles because they had no say in this decision this impacted people in a negative way as Cuban people attempted to flee the country to head to the US. The “Cuban Missile Crisis” was not the only impact the consequences of Castro were very severe such as being beaten repeatedly. Castro had implied having a communistic country in a good approach but did not get the response he wanted. Cuban law would change social life in Cuba which again impacted the people negatively. Castro had known once his presidential role would be over that his brother Raul Castro would take over and continue.

Introduction and thesis

Cult of personality has a long history and is mainly connected with strong and charismatic and strong leaders, mainly in the political sphere. Fidel Castro is one of the brightest examples of the charismatic political leader who have managed to control people’s thoughts and actions in Cuba for already 50 years¹. Scholars nowadays see inherent leadership traits in Castro whose personality was destined to become idealized by the overall promotion by the Communist Party and the media controlled by it. Accordingly, the cult of Castro’s personality can be considered a successful merad of the Communist party of Cuba to promote the very regime of communism in the country. Castro is a popular personality whose leadership adds greatly to the popularity of the Communist Party of Cuba in that he has helped maintain the party in power for half a century and has quelled any opposition from the beginning of the regime. This has been done in most part by controlling the media and reporters by manipulation to the extent that the media has turned its back to the whisperings of the common people². In view of this study was designed to explore this topic.

Argument

Social economic background of Cuba before the revolution

Before the revolution period in 1950s, Cuba was a rapidly though unevenly developing country in areas of health, education and individual consumption. The problem was how to distribute it evenly. The economy of the country was dependent on agricultural production mainly sugarcane growing and other seasonal crops which meant unemployment and underemployment between harvests. Coupled with low earnings of agricultural workers, poverty

levels were high. There also existed great disparities in income distribution among families in the rural areas and those in urban areas with purchasing power. A census in 1946 showed that annual income of a six-member peasant family averaged $548.75 of which 50%of agricultural workers families could not attain and who represented 34% of Cuba’s total population and received 10% of the national income³.

The 1953 Population, Housing and Electro census found a high degree of illiteracy in the general population and especially the rural population with 73% of 14 year olds who could read and write and Havana University, the largest in the country, having 25,000 students and 2500 professors a number which declined during after revolutionary as young people and their professors joined the revolution in 1960s⁴. Again disparity is shown in access to education between the rural poor and the urbanites. Figures from this census show that 77% of people aged 5-24 years did not attend school; this was attributed to rural poverty which made children and youths to work in the fields at an early age to support their families. The number of schools both public and private was also small where in the 1958-1959 school years there were 7,567 schools in the whole country which employed 17,355 teachers. The ratio was thus 2.3 teachers per school which was hardly enough⁵.

Poverty is further manifested in the housing conditions of the population. During the 1953 census, 47% of dwellings were found to be in deplorable conditions and housed 53% of the total population, 30% of urban population and 75% rural population. Habitable dwellings were 40.4% which housed 37% of the total population, 50% in urban areas and 24.4% in rural areas and only 13% (20% in urban areas and 0.6% in rural areas) was considered as good dwellings occupied by 10% of Cuban population⁶. Common housing in rural areas was built from wood i.e. the trunk of palm trees and branches with earthen floors with the help of family and neighbors. These houses have little sanitary facilities and those available are built from these materials. The census also recorded that indoor or outdoor toilets either for individual or collective use, were found in only 7% of houses both in rural and urban areas with 87% of houses in rural areas lacking the facilities⁷,⁸

Fidel Castro’s early life

In his early years as a university student, Castro adopted a revolutionary spirit that has been very successful in propagating his personality cult. This was not so much as in principles or intellectual convictions but in an affinity for conflicts and search for political leadership in whatever way possible and with no thoughts of the consequences⁹.This is demonstrated in his acts in April 9, 1948 in Bogotá the capital of Colombia. He was attending a student’s congress as part of the Cuban students’ delegation when the Colombian Liberal Party leader was assassinated. Violent uprisings and fires resulted as his supporters demonstrated. Castro, instead of staying in his hotel room to await evacuation to his country, joined in the mayhem and even went to a nearby police station to incite them to join the uprising and called that it a revolution. He was arrested and later taken back to Cuba after negotiations between the two governments to release students. This instead of taming him was reported to have exited and satisfied him greatly, not physically but the thought that he was a revolutionary; this proved that he had extraordinary leadership qualities¹⁰.

As an improvising and bold leader, Castro built his personality cult in his formative years successfully. He had no laid down plan only a mind for improvising situations that will put him to the top. In January 26, 1953, Castro led a group of young Cubans from Orthodox (Manuel Corrales, Luis Mas Martin, Baudilio Castellanos, Eduardo Corona, Antonio Carneado, Jaime Grabalosa, Juan Bradman, Jorge Quintana, Flavio Ortega, Arquimedes Poveda, Agustin Clavijo, Raul Valdes Vivo, Antonio Nunez Jimenez, Alicia Alonso, Oscar Camps, Walterio Carbonell, Alfredo Guevara Valdes, Adan Garcia and Baldomero Alvarez Rios) members of his party then, to a coup to overthrow Batista who had replaced Prior Carlos in a coup also. His plan was simple: attack several garrisons among them Moncada, arm the people and call for a general upraising to pressurize the government to bow out and call for elections. The attack failed and Castro was captured and tried during which he delivered the famous ‘History will absolve us’ speech¹¹.

Fidel Contribution to the cult personality

Fidel has successfully portrayed a charismatic personality that has maintained his personality cult especially to the media in other countries. He projects the image of a visionary revolutionary and also that of an absolute leader who can inflict mortification and then flatter and offer comradeship at other times. Castro even manipulated the journalists by charming them when he wants and threatening those against him. This is portrayed by Herbert Mathew’s articles in the New York Times when he says that Fidel Castro is a man of ideas, courage and extraordinary leadership qualities and who has an intense personality; the reporter had visited Castro and his guerrilla militias in sierra Maestras in 1957 who gave him publicity and worldwide fame¹².

He has been portrayed as a figure of morality and intellectual authority, at least to the Cuban people, in his words and judgments. In his long speeches, torrents of words are delivered with wild gesticulations, gibes and expressions of anger as he draws a line between public enemies and friends and what is to be believed and what is to be opposed depending on his stand on issues¹³. His words are taken as gospel truth and define how people conduct themselves. In a speech on May Day 26 1980 at the Jose Marti Revolution Square, people applaud him insistently and he told them to show discipline by being silent. He then went ahead to demonise what he refers to as the enemy of the people who will not fool around with revolutionary people of Cuba. The enemies in this case are the rebels who were opposed to them and their ally aiding them, the USA¹⁴.

He is also an eloquent speaker and his speeches can go on for eight hours without interruption (his audience listening intently without moving or talking about anything that comes to mind) and with an authoritative tone of voice. In a speech in January 21, 1959 in Havana, addressing a million of Cuban workers and peasants, he started by ordering everyone to silence telling them that it is not enough to attend but to be silent is a demonstration of discipline and went ahead to wait for them to be silent. He then read a long speech covering every thing from municipality problems to what he thought of Trujillo dictatorship in Haiti, jails and media censorship¹⁵.

Castro’s cult of personality is also apparent when he engages people face to face. When talking to one or two people he becomes captivating, attentive and very inquisitive. He does not talk much, only listens and asks questions and wants to know every small details and figures. This has endeared him to the media especially whom he gave exclusive interviews and to his friends of the moment. He charmed a reporter of the L’Unita, of Rome in an interview on 1 February 1961 in Havana. The reporter says that he gave him an extensive interview where he was cordial and kept an open mind. In this interview he was informal in approach and even called the reporter chico a name he uses for friends¹⁶.

Castro’s cult of personality has been successful due to his unwillingness to change his mind or admit his mistakes. He believes that as a leader he can not make mistakes and when other people say he is wrong it is them living a lie not him. After the fall of the Soviet Union and subsequent dissolution of communism hundreds of friends and accredited economists came to convince him that the Marxist-Lenin regime was a big mistake and impossible in today’s real world but he never accepted that and continued to hold on to his beliefs. He is sure that the whole world is wrong and he is right¹⁷.

Role of the party in creating the cult

The Cuban Communist Party has helped a lot in the successful creation of cult of personality around Castro. He is known world wide as leader that represents the ideas of the Cuban Communist party and all social and economic initiatives taken by Castro are taken in the name of the party since he become its secretary in 1965. He declares his own policies as the policies of the party¹⁸.

The party has promoted this cult of personality around Castro by allowing him to make decisions of the ruling party as his own without any protest. This is portrayed when the USA refused to grant Castro a development loan in 1959. He went ahead and implemented ideological changes from what he describes imperialist to socialist and nationalized private companies even those owned by the USA nationals and called himself ‘Marxist-Leninist’. From here he forges alliances with USSR and remains in power for half a century¹⁹.

The Cuban Communist Party has helped in the creation of personality cult both in Cuba and to the whole world. This is demonstrated in Castro’s successor, Raul Castro’s inauguration speech in February 24, 2008. He suggested to the National Assembly of People’s Power that they seek advice from Castro on important national matters such as defense, foreign policy and socio-economic development of the country. This was unanimously passed by 597 members of the National Assembly and without hesitation. He also remains the first secretary of the party²⁰.

Examples of cults of personality

Castro’s personality cult has been enhanced by his no survive spirit from the time he was a guerrilla to his abrasive relations with no world power United States of America in his rule. This is portrayed in the various attempts on his life by assassinations. In 1961, the Franklin Kennedy administration plotted to have Castro killed in an operation called the Mongoose operation by spraying the Havana studio with a mind altering chemical. This did not succeed plus other subsequent attempts from 1960-65 in which poisoning of his cigars, planting of explosives where he scuba dived. All this helped enhanced his personality cult²¹.

Castro’s charismatic and strong leadership qualities have been displayed many times enhancing the personality cult around him. After he was captured in Sierra Maestra on 26^th July 1953 and his subsequent release after escaping execution, he regrouped with his guerrilla militants in Mexico and signed the Manifesto of the Sierra Maestra agreeing to hold elections under the Electoral Code of 1943 within the first 18 months of his time in power under the Constitution of 1940 ignored by Batista even though was not to be²².

The political stability of Cuba since Castro took power half a century ago has portrayed him as a strong leader enhancing his personality. This is even more apparent in the ‘Bay of Pigs’ attack on April 14, 1961 when about 1,300 CIA- trained Cuban exiles invaded Cuba. This attack was well planned by the CIA and backed by the Kennedy administration, but last minute changes and the half hearted support from Kennedy made it an obvious failure. When the attackers landed ashore at the ‘Bay of Pigs’, they were met with fire from fighter planes and tanks from the Cuban brigade. They surrendered and some died and others were caught and given life sentences in Cuban prisons. The fact that Castro was able to defeat a force supported by the USA, made him a hero in the eyes of the world and most importantly the people of Cuba²³.

Conclusion

The Communist Party of Cuba successfully used Castro’s cult of personality to promote communism in the country. One reason for this success was the promise to improve the social economic level of the Cuban people when poverty, unemployment and underemployment and illiteracy levels were high. Castro was a charismatic, energetic and strong willed youth who had a revolutionary spirit that saw him at the guerrilla war forefront when he was a university student. Castro himself has created this personality cult to some extent either through the media or his long intimidating speeches and giving a force image of morality and intellectuality. The party has also taken part in the success of the cult mainly by allowing Castro to make and implement party decisions as the party’s without opposition. Those in the party opposing him are quickly intimidated or silenced by being declared enemies of the people of Cuba in public speeches. There are numerous occasions when Castro or the party has publicly displayed this cult of personality such as electing unanimously him to be consulted on major decisions in the country after his retirement and ill health.

Footnotes

1. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. (NY: Scribner, 2008), pg.56-59.
2. Marie Bunck, Fidel Castro and the quest for a Revolutionary Culture in Cuba. (PA: Pennsylvania University Press, 1994), pg 256-67
3. Marie Bunck, Fidel Castro and the quest for a Revolutionary Culture in Cuba. (PA: Pennsylvania University Press, 1994), pg 256-67
4. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. NY: Scribner, 2008.pg.56-59.
5. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959).pg.48-53.
6. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959).pg.48-53.
7. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. NY: Scribner, 2008.pg.56-59.
8. Marie Bunck, Fidel Castro and the quest for a Revolutionary Culture in Cuba. (PA: Pennsylvania University Press, 1994), pg 256-67
9. Maurice Halperin, The Rise and Decline of Fidel Castro: An Essay in Contemporary History. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972), pg 34-198
10. Robert, Quirk. Fidel Castro. (NY: W. W. Norton, 1995), pg 102-578
11. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. NY: Scribner, 2008.pg.56-59.
12. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959), pg.48-53.
13. Marie Bunck, Fidel Castro and the quest for a Revolutionary Culture in Cuba. (PA: Pennsylvania University Press, 1994), pg 256-67
14. Robert, Quirk. Fidel Castro. (NY: W. W. Norton, 1995), pg 102-578
15. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959), pg.48-53.
16. Marie Bunck, Fidel Castro and the quest for a Revolutionary Culture in Cuba. (PA: Pennsylvania University Press, 1994), pg 256-67
17. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959), pg.48-53.
18. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. (NY: Scribner, 2008), pg.56-59.
19. Maurice Halperin, The Rise and Decline of Fidel Castro: An Essay in Contemporary History. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972), pg 34-198
20. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959), pg.48-53.
21. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. (NY: Scribner, 2008), pg.56-59.
22. Fidel, Castro and Ramonet, I. Fidel Castro: My life: A spoken autobiography. (NY: Scribner, 2008), pg.56-59.
23. Jules Dubois, Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Dictator? (Indiana: Bobbs-Merril, 1959), pg.48-53.

Dr. Fidel Castro, born August 13, 1926, has ruled Cuba since 1959. He turned Cuba into the first communist country in the Western Hemisphere. Castro’s regime has created the most repressive police apparatus and refused to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. His Committees for the Defense of the Revolution operated throughout the country spying and reporting on neighbors. Talking to foreigners was not encouraged; large numbers of citizens were incarcerated for political crimes; the economy was underdeveloped; the health system did not work; public transportation was difficult. Castro was a dictator who managed to form the nation, however, failed to ensure the protection of fundamental human rights.

Castro’s Personality

Castro was a totalitarian political leader. He was self-centered and violent; he used people as resources. However, there was no other leader capable of neutralizing the United Nations human rights commissions (Planas 88). Notably, Castro was not a public person. When he appeared in public, he always had his military fatigues. In addition, Castro was famous for his detailed speeches lasting several hours and containing numerous historical references. Castro was proud of being a Cuban and he strived to create the Cuban identity. The nation feared and adored Castro at the same time. Castro, on the contrary, did not care about the wellbeing of his people and failed to maintain stable economic development.

Economy

Castro nationalized industry and collectivized agriculture claiming that it would benefit the nation. The regime imposed by Castro forced many Cubans to leave the country with the hope of better life. Moreover, Castro failed to build economic relations with the United States. At the same time, Cuba maintained free trading relations with all other nations. Today Cuba is the second tourist destination in the Caribbean: tourism provides the needed foreign currency. Castro tried to support the Cuban economy with the investment in biotechnology. He aimed at finding substitutes for the imports of medical supplies. Despite all efforts, the Cuban economy benefited only from the export of technology and tourism. Castro failed to develop a strong economy. In addition, Cubans were not provided with professional health care.

Health

Castro made health care available to all citizens, however, the majority of the hospital’s patients must wait for an appointment (Cangemi 105). In the cases of emergencies, the patient must wait as well. Running water was not available and hygiene was poor. In addition, there was a lack of medicine analgesics and even anesthesia. Medical labs were closed because of the lack of medical supplies. Patients were not provided with a balanced diet because mild, juice, and fruits were not readily available. In most cases, patients needed to pay for services and all medications. Low salaries forced about 20,000 doctors to leave Cuba. In 1959, Cuba had more than 300 hospitals while in 1989 their number decreased to approximately 250 (Cangemi 105).

Transportation and Food

Castro maintained low public transportation costs, however, there were not so many buses in Cuba. On the contrary, there were long lines of people waiting for busses. Taxes were available but were not affordable by the majority of Cubans. People had to walk to their destination. Castro introduced the policy of stopping busses and trucks for the random examination of passengers. The situation with food was even worse: the government failed to provide enough food for its citizens. The food sold in stores included coffee, rice, beans, salt, and sugar (Cangemi 105). Meat and eggs were available only for children. At the times of Castro, soap and toilet paper were rare. Castro was a follower of communism and believed that all people should have been equal and similar to each other. Castro’s communism resulted in empty shelves and poverty.

Education

One of the few achievements of Castro was the availability of free education. In September 1960, Castro declared that every Cuban child had the right to free education. As the result, in 2000 illiteracy rate in Cuba was less than 5% (Worthman 648). In addition to entertainment, Cuban television broadcasted college courses for adults. The literacy campaign focused on the rural and poor areas. All people who completed the courses were offered to send a letter to Castro as a test of newly gained writing skills. However, Castro strived to educate his nation to spread the ideology of communism.

Relations with USSR

Historically, Cuba received significant financial support from the USSR. It was estimated that economic subsidies from the Soviet Union amounted to $5 billion annually (Vann 1). In addition, the Soviet Union purchased Cuban sugar at above-market prices and sold petroleum at below-market prices. As the result, Cuba resold oil on the world market to obtain currency. Soviet bloc exported manufactured consumer goods, machinery, and food. The dissolution of the USSR resulted in economic catastrophe for Cuba. Castro decided to promote foreign investment and allowed some social stratification within Cuba, however, these initiatives failed to benefit the nation.

Relations with the US

Castro opposed any cooperation with the United States of America because he saw the U.S. as a threat to Cuban communism. In other words, the United States was a democracy, while Cuba was a totalitarian state. Castro failed to realize that the United States could prevent the Cuban economic crisis. Moreover, Castro blamed all economic problems on the U.S. embargo. Castro did not resolve any of the historical problems of Cuban society (Vann 1). He ruled through the political dictatorship resting on the military force. All state institutions were run by the armed forces. Castro was mentioned in the Cuban constitution as the president for life. Thus, it was unconstitutional to oppose him. He was the head of the state and the head of the government; he was the commander in chief of the military and the first secretary of the Communist Party. There was no place for democracy and citizens were expected to obey, not to decide on national matters.

Social Policy

Castro was reluctant to introduce any social policies aimed at improving the lives of his people. For example, the response to the global AIDS crisis included mandatory testing and forced incarceration for anyone who tested positive (“Castro’s crimes against Humanity” 1). In addition, homosexuals were seen as undesirable; their imprisonment was based on rumor and suspicion. Prisoners with AIDS received very poor food and no medical attention. Castro’s regime turned Cubans into a poor nation without any rights. Cuba is an isolated island and Castro deprived his people of sources of information. Independent librarians were persecuted and private internet use was not allowed (Faria 1). Castro deprived Cubans of the rights to life, liberty, and property.

Human Rights

Castro was accused of numerous human rights abuses including imprisonment, torture, and unfair trials. Under his rule, several thousand people were killed only because of suspicion of political disobedience. Castro has been criticized by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for the lack of free press freedom and civil rights, for the lack of democratic elections, and outlawing of political opposition unions. To justify his actions, Castro claimed that he acted in response to the United States’ engagement against Cuba. Castro believed that there were numerous American spies, human rights activists, and agents in Cuba. Notably, the repeated U.S. efforts to overthrow Castro’s regime failed due to the support for Castro among the Cuban people.

Concluding Notes

Castro established a centralized economy that did not work. The only institution that functioned in Cuba efficiently was the secret police (Daniels 1). Historians cite health and education systems among Castro’s achievements; however, research revealed that the health care system was available to all citizens while the quality of it was very low. Education, on the other side, was obligatory and did contribute to a very low illiteracy rate. Castro was a totalitarian ruler who failed to protect the fundamental rights of his nation. Cubans were deprived of all rights and freedoms. Before the collapse of the USSR, Castro gained significant financial assistance from the Soviets. At the same time, Castro failed to establish cooperative relationships with the United States and international organizations. The totalitarian system forced Cubans to flee the country with the hope of better life. In summary, Castro’s ruling was disastrous for Cuba because he treated his people as the source of labor, not as human beings with rights, needs, and wants.

Works Cited

Cangemi, Joseph. “What Castro’s Revolution Has Done to the Majority of the Cuban People.” Journal of Education 116.1 (1995): 105.

“Castro’s crimes against Humanity. Free Cuba from What?” 2008. Web.

Daniels, Anthony. “Farewell Fidel: The man who nearly started World War III.” The Daily Mail. 2008. Web.

Faria, Miguel. “The Fall of Fidel Castro: Death of the Maximum Leader.” The News Max. 2001. Web.

Planas, Richard. “Why Does Castro Survive?” Journal of World Affairs 154.3 (1992): 87-95.

Worthman, Christopher. “Literacy Education and Dialogical Exchange: Impressions of Cuban Education in One Classroom.” The Reading Teacher 54.7 (2001): 648.

Vann, Bill. “Castroism.” World Socialist Web Site. 1998. Web.