The Cuban Revolution
analytical Essay
974 words
The Cuban Revolution
The Cuban revolution was one that transformed Cuba into an independent socialist society. This revolution sent a message around the globe. The message: “ Socialism can be achieved and capitalism, with its culture stripping mechanism’s can be supplemented”. However, the revolution did leave its mark on Cuba. This can be seen in the events that took place during the early stages of the revolution. The effects of the revolution were positive for certain sections of the population and negative for others.
The exodus of the majority of skilled workers brought about a rapid change in the methods employed in educating Cuba’s population. If the revolution was to be successful, Cuba needed to replace the skilled workers that left with other skilled workers in the shortest amount of time possible. In 1961, the revolutionary government developed a nationwide campaign to rid Cuba of illiteracy. The program was given slogans like “ The people should teach the people and If you don’t know learn; if you know teach”. This program consisted of volunteer teachers who would help illiterate Cubans increase their education by teaching them the fundamentals. According to Fitzgerald, “(The literacy campaign) helped to integrate town and county and to galvanize support for revolutionary goals by bringing urban and rural populations into direct contact. ( p. 41)” Also, according to Fitzgerald, “ Enrollment in adult education rose dramatically from 66,577 students in the 1960-1961 school year to a peak of 842,024 students in the 1964-1965 school year, but plummeted to 309,717 students in 1969-1970. (P. 42)” This program benefited the poorer citizens of Cuba who remained in Cuba. They w...
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... the majority of which sought refuge in the United States. With the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba now stands at a crossroads. The battle cry has changed from “ Socialism or death to Resist, struggle and win” (Castro’s Cuba II). Hopefully, Castro and/or Cuba will not be forced into a market-based economy and all the materialistic commodities that go along with capitalism. In my opinion, Castro should hold out for as long as possible griping to the former battle cry “Socialism or death”. Only time will tell what the fate of Castro’s Cuba will be. Trade might once again flourish the economy, tourism might open up new economic opportunities and foreign investments from Italy, France and Spain could possibly dig Cuba out the current economic hole it’s in. Until then however, the battle against capitalism must not lose any of its vigor.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that the cuban revolution transformed cuba into an independent socialist society and sent a message around the globe.
- Explains how the exodus of skilled workers brought about a rapid change in the methods employed in educating cuba's population.
- Describes the fidelista program, which provided enterprises with a semi-autonomous model of operation.
- Analyzes how the old cadres of cuba were negatively effected by the revolution. they were criticized for incompetence, poor workstyles, buddyism, and promotion by seniority.
- Analyzes how the transition overlaps with the children of the uneducated in cuba, who were positively effected by the revolution.
- Explains that women were positively effected by the transition to new professionals. by 1980, women made up 31.4 percent of the cuban labor force.
- Opines that castro should hold out for as long as possible gripping to the former battle cry "socialism or death".
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In this essay, the author
- Argues that castro's economic reforms have promoted democratization with the emergence of a middle class, and its political implications.
- Explains castro's economic reforms have legalized the creation of "private sector jobs" in cuba. cuban citizens can now open small businesses, create cooperatives, reduce government funded social programs, and end some state subsidies.
- Explains that castro's reform measure has helped identify the one hundred and seventy-eight jobs that the state now permits for private employment.
- Explains cuba's remittance reform has allowed for the diaspora to help their counterparts on the island with additional funds to start their own businesses.
- Explains that 40% of the cuban workforce will be in the private sector by 2015. the middle class is a class of people between the classes of higher and lower social rank or standing.
- Explains that a study by daron acemoglu and james robinson identifies factors conducive to democratization, including political institutions, inter-group inequality, globalization and the middle class.
- Explains that a large and comfortable middle class guarantees that they play an important role in democratic politics and will usually support policies closer to those that the elites prefer.
- Argues that the emergence of the middle class might spark another revolution in cuba, according to acemoglu and robinson.
- Explains that china's experience has demonstrated the benefit of market reforms and capitalism as means for prosperity, although this is mostly enjoyed by communist party members.
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- Explains that cuba today is not post-castro, but ideologically it is post communism. the castro government has realized that marxist-leninist economics is unsustainable and not conducive to economic growth.
- Questions whether cuba's economic reforms promoted democratization with the emergence of a middle class or is it another method that the regime has employed to hold on to its power.
1420 wordsRead More - Fidel Castro And The Cuban Revolutionanalytical essayThis drifted from the Marxist idea of how a revolution would occur which was a social revolution in which the working class would overthrow the bourgeoisie in a heavily industrialized country. On July 26th 1953, Fidel Castro led an attack on the Moncada Barracks. This one event is thought to be the start of the Cuban Revolution and also the event that became the name for Castro’s movement (Movimiento 26 Julio). The attack of the Moncada Barracks also led to the arrest of Fidel Castro. On October 16th 1953, Castro gave a four-hour speech where he served as his own defense against the charges he was being he accused of. He later reconstructed his speech for publication, which became known as History Will Absolve Me. On April 17th, 1961 the Bay of Pigs invasion took place. After Bay of Pigs there was a clear shift in the dynamics in the U.S.- Cuban relationship. The dynamics of this relationship had begun to change from 1953 to 1961 but Bay of Pigs was the event that had far-reaching implications for both Cuba and the United States.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how fidel castro led an attack on the moncada barracks in 1953, which led to his arrest, and the bay of pigs invasion in 1961.
- Analyzes how castro shows socialistic leanings that are seen in his original goals for cuba in history will absolve me.
- Describes castro's 5 proposed "revolutionary changes" that would address areas in society that needed immediate attention. these included the agrarian reform, nationalization of electric power, and the telephone trust.
- Analyzes how castro's speech in history will absolve me is a call for change, nationalistic, and not marxist-leninism.
- Analyzes how castro passed the agrarian reform law, which allowed the cuban government to obtain the properties of u.s. citizens and corporations. the embargo left cuba vulnerable and provided the soviet union with a window of opportunity.
- Explains that the spanish-american war was a turning point in the u.s.-cuban relationship. the platt amendment sanctioned the united states unilateral immersion in cuban affairs.
- Analyzes how castro's economic pact with the ussr helped cuba avoid an economic tragedy and provide a new ally in the cold war.
2467 wordsRead More - Cuban Revolution Outlineanalytical essayTamia Dillard Final Paper Question: Explain, in detail, the entire process of the Cuban Revolution. Cuba had a long history regarding its countries state from the Cuban revolution till now. To start off, Cuba is the biggest island in the Caribbean and one of the closest to the United States. Because of its location it played an important role for America. The revolution lasted for 7 years but eventually the Cuban people were successful.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that cuba had a long history regarding its countries state from the cuban revolution till now. cuba is the biggest island in the caribbean and one of the closest to the united states.
- Explains that fidel castro led a revolution with the help of che guevara and his brother raul.
- Explains how fidel castro formed local camps as a new revolutionary power and defeated batista and his government in 1959.
- Explains that despite the revolution ending and fidel castro becoming president, cubans still had obstacles and challenges ahead of them.
- Explains that che guevara's efforts to improve the state of cuba led to a famine and the u.s trade embargo.
- Explains that cuba became bankrupt in the 1980s and was one of the few socialist countries left in america.
- Analyzes how many cubans mourned fidel's death, saying he was a dictator who took away basic human rights, while others saw him as someone who made positive changes for cuba.
960 wordsRead More - Heaven versus Hell in the Film Latin America since Independenceanalytical essayDawson expresses the two conflicting sides of the Cuban Revolution. First let me start by saying that Fidel Castro created an opposition that helped to overthrown Fuldencio Batista in 1959. After this event, Fidel Castro took control and its primary agenda was to make the country deal with its own problems and to maintain the United States without interfering. Moreover, Dawson talks about how the Revolution brought education, health care, and improves the Cuban economy; this was part of the Utopian way of thinking. As well, the Utopian vision was “to shift the country away from its dependence on sugar exports, to diversify and industrialize ...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the cuban revolution remains a "powerfully polarizing symbol" that causes people to adapt to opposing positions, such as the utopian vision and the dystopian.
- Analyzes how fidel castro created an opposition that helped to overthrow fuldencio batista in 1959. the utopian vision was to diversify and industrialize cuba to ensure its independence.
- Analyzes how olive storm's "looking for fidel castro" illustrates the utopian and the dystopian vision of cuba.
- Explains the title heaven versus hell because fidel castro made people think that everything was in perfect conditions, but the country was failing in different aspects such as moral incentives, diversification, industrialization, and centralized budgeting. dawson and stone display an interesting portrayal of cuba and
704 wordsRead More - The United States and Cuba: An Embargo for the Agesanalytical essayCuba’s colorful history can be documented to before the days of the American Revolution in 1776, but today, American policy directly affects many Cubans’ lifestyles because of a nearly 45-year-old trade embargo that has been placed on the island nation. It is crucial to analyze the development of Cuba and its neighboring island nations in order to discern the reasons for Cuba’s current political situation with the United States. The following paper will discuss the events that shaped Cuba and larger Caribbean nations like Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica; next, a detailed description of Cuba’s turbulent history will help in explaining the Cuban transformation into a socialist economy; then, a detailed account of the U.S. embargo on Cuba will document the ups and downs of the policy all the way to the present day; finally, the current news surrounding American-Cuban relations will depict the most recent happenings in the ongoing disputes between the two nations.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that haiti was dubbed ‘la isla espanola,’ shortened to hispaniola, after christopher columbus discovered the island in 1492.
- Explains that columbus encountered hispaniola in 1492, and the spanish established the first permanent settlement in the new world, naming it santo domingo.
- Explains that the spanish held control of the island until 1670, when power was ceded to the british. economic adversity was the reason for many black uprisings.
- Explains the colonization of cuba by diego velazquez and his soldiers from hispaniola.
- Explains how the united states' recent declaration of independence combined with the corrupt spanish colonial government made cubans think more strongly about their independence.
- Analyzes the evolution of the cuban embargo, which is spread out over four years from 1959 until 1963, when former president john f. kennedy issued the ultimate trade sanctions against cuba.
- Analyzes how the agrarian reform law of may 1959 engendered a hasty economic change on the large caribbean island.
- Analyzes how cuba's ensuing trade agreements with the soviet union rankled the american government on many levels.
- Analyzes how the american policy toward cuba remained the same when kennedy took over, as eisenhower provided the new president with plans to overtake the cuban government.
- Describes the cuban assets control regulations, a detailed and intricate policy that denies cuba any part of the american economy.
- Explains how the oas followed the u.s.'s lead, requiring all member states to dissolve economic and diplomatic ties with cuba. the late 1970s and carter administration brought about a more relaxed attitude toward the embargo.
- Analyzes the development of cuba and its neighboring island nations in order to discern the reasons for cuba's current political situation with the united states.
- Explains that oil was the next tool that the u.s. government used to punish cuba and its newfound friendship with the soviet union.
- Analyzes how the u.s. embargo on cuba continues to be a controversial issue within american politics.
4619 wordsRead More - Populist Movement Essayanalytical essayOriginally a dictator ran Cuba: President Fulgencio Batista, who was an ally to the United States. Cuba during this time enjoyed a healthy urban middle class, and its citizens enjoyed some degree of freedom without a police state. Many other countries seemed a lot more likely to revolt, because economically and developmentally, Cuba seemed stable. However, the United States’ role and control of Cuba’s economy started to take its toll on the “peasants”. In 1953, the United States owned many of the major entities, such as 50% of the railroad. Just as much development as there was in the urban areas there was a lack thereof in the rural areas. Not just economically, Cubans started to resent the image of Sin City that Americans gave the country. Cuba was a popular tourist spot where Americans came to behave badly. Castro’s success came from these opposite sides of distaste for the United States, the peasants economically and the middle class socially & nationally. Castro was not originally a socialist; he was a nationalist first. However when he attacks Moncada Barracks, he is arrested and exiled to Mexico City. During this time his failures are turned into “successes” through propaganda. Castro meets with Che Guevara in Mexico City and when he returns, he purges the military of 483 Batista loyalists and enacts land reforms and nationalizes US
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the united states and latin america have had a long history of relations in regards to populist movements.
- Explains that juan peron was a populist during the 1940s when he came to power and enacted many social reforms.
- Explains that the united states sees the election of peron as a reason to intervene in argentina. braden was the assistant secretary of state at the time.
- Analyzes how braden's accusatory tone helped peron win the 1946 election. this is a huge blow for the efforts put forth by the united states and brad
- Analyzes how the united states' involvement had detrimental effects on the cuban government. castro's success came from distaste for the us, the peasants and the middle class.
- Analyzes how the us responds by withdrawing aide to cuba, which causes castro to open up trade with the soviet union.
- Analyzes how castro became a communist and allies strongly with the ussr, which led to the cuban missile crisis.
1089 wordsRead More - Jacobson - Cubaexplanatory essayCuba today demonstrates itself as a mostly thriving nation. It is a nation in which all citizens are receive c...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how american culture has adapted many traditions, beliefs, and ethnicities guaranteeing a freedom to form opposing interests and viewpoints of our own, while cuba seeks conformity.
- Explains that afrocubanismo, the syncretic result of the african majority's culture and the dominant european minority, was the "conceptual framework of modern cuban culture."
- Explains that cuba today demonstrates itself as a mostly thriving nation in which all citizens are receive constitutionally protected rights, quality education, health care, and employment opportunities.
- Explains that cuba is 48,800 square miles in area and is home to 11.17 million people. it is rich with historical cultural significances, endeavors of war and peace, economic tragedies and triumphs.
- Explains cuba's spanish language is the primary means of communication since it lies within latin america. the majority of cubans are of mixed african and european descent.
- Explains the history of cuba and its struggle for independence, beginning in the 1500's, with spanish settlement, and achieving its true independence in 1959.
- Describes how the peninsulares, creoles, and african slaves became defined in cuban society after the extinction of the indigenous population.
- Describes how cuban citizens protested the united states' occupation of the island.
- Opines that religion plays a key role in every culture. religion amounts to our beliefs of right and wrong in the world, and how we act morally and ethically.
- Explains that 49 percent of cuba's population was agnostic and 6 percent atheist, while 42 percent professed christianity.
- Explains that cuban religious activities were limited due to conflicts between church and state. pope john paul ii was welcomed to the island in 1998, evidently demonstrating the relaxation of state on matters of religion.
- Explains the cuban military, which consists of the revolutionary army, navy, and air defense forces.
- Explains that cuba's economy is socialist, with the general populous owning means of production, compared to the capitalist society, which america employs.
- Explains that cuba's health care system is a basic right of all cuban citizens, and emphasizes preventative medicine.
- Explains that cubans have improved their health dramatically since 1959, with lower infant and maternal mortality rates, a higher average caloric consumption, and reduced number of persons served by each doctor.
- Explains that food is in short supply in cuba due to a limited agricultural production, limited mostly to sugar. free farmers markets have been reopened, alleviating some of the hunger.
- Explains that the etiquette of cuban culture holds generosity and hospitality in high regard.
- Explains that being generous and hospitable is a highly valued quality. cubans like to complain and argue heatedly, but this kind of argument relieves social tension.
- Explains that american culture is similar in that we learn from a young age to show respect and common courtesies to others, although americans differ in their willingness to openly express conflicts.
- Explains that education is a key factor in all elements of culture and allows future generational development. cuba's educational system is available to all children.
- Analyzes how culture identifies itself by differences amongst nations of our attitudes and actions. both nations have undergone years of hardship due to events such as war to be where they are today.
- Describes bourne's biography of fidel castro.
- Explains that smith, wayne s. portrait of cuba. atlanta ga: turner publishing inc, 1991.
2778 wordsRead More - A Cuban Reading of Psalm 137analytical essayThere are two Cubas. On the Island are revolutionaries crusading to construct a Cuba that combats any attempt to subjugate her spirit to the US hegemony. On the (main)land are the modernists who look toward the United States as the guide and hope for revitalizing a Post-Castro Cuba. Consequently, the Cuban community is divided into two antagonistic camps: Resident Cubans living under Castro's Marxist regime, and Exilic Cubans living under a global capitalist system. Due to these political and economic differences, we Cubans are a people divided against ourselves.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the cuban community is divided into two antagonistic camps: resident and exilic, living under castro's marxist regime.
- Analyzes how the division creates a unique space in how we read the bible differently than the rest of latin america or other u.s. hispanic groups.
- Narrates how they sat and wept at the memory of la habana.
- Opines that exilic cubans look in the mirrors surrounding them, searching for their ontological origin.
- Analyzes lacan's theory of the mirror stage, stating that versailles serves as a vivid illustration of versailles.
- Analyzes how their cuban eyes see in the mirror the anticipated maturation of the power they desire to possess and read into their history the illusion of a "golden exile."
- Analyzes how their subjective "i" is defined by contrasting it with the objects "marielito" or "resident cuban."
- Analyzes how batista's departure from cuba triggered panic as party goers rushed to their houses to collect their sleeping children, money, and anything of value.
- Explains that the surreal scene at the miami airport of well-dressed refugees was caused by the same forces that brought about the babylonian exile.
- Explains that cuban refugees were homogeneous, mostly white, middle-aged, and educated. their hatred toward communism facilitated their usefulness as a cold war propaganda tool to the u.s.
- Analyzes how pierre bourdieu's concept of the habitus illuminates why exilic cubans ascended the socio-economic institutions of miami.
- Analyzes how mi habana, if i forget you may my right hand wither, singed "some mambo."
- Analyzes how celia cruz's "cuando sal de cuba" illustrates the denial of accepting the reality of being, living, and most likely dying on foreign soil.
- Analyzes how exilic jews and cubans were forced to deal with this incompressible pain. judaism was constructed in babylon through the pain of questioning the sovereignty of a god.
- Analyzes how the hope of returning to one's land becomes a foundational building block of being an exilic cuban.
- Analyzes jeremiah's letter to the exilic jews to forget about their hope for a speedy return.
- Explains how exilic cubans built a shrine on u.s. soil for la virgen de caridad to serve as both political and sacred space. the presence of cuba's patron in miami indicates that she too came from cuba as an exile
- Analyzes how the building of the shrine to our patron saint, along with the construction of "little havana" contribute to a self-deception that avoids realization of our physical location and the "uprootedness" transforming our individual reality.
- Describes the communists' blessing on him who takes and dashes their babies against the rock
- Opines that the pain of exile can lead to revenge toward those perceived to be responsible for one's expatriation. congressman diaz-balart, an exilic cuban, called for a post-castro cuba with an "numerically larger army than it has today."
- Explains that hatred is not limited to one side of the florida straits. each cuba sees itself in the mirror as the true remnant.
- Analyzes how jeremiah strives to overcome the babylonian jews' attempt to displace blame for their proscription. la habana was a u.s. constructed exotic space where the repressed libidinous appetites could be fulfilled.
- Analyzes how maintaining la cuba de ayer insures the death of our perceived enemies today and creates post-castro cuba based on horizontal oppression.
- Analyzes how the u.s. is positioning itself to reimpose its hegemony in cuba, ensuring that any post-castro government sacrifices its sovereignty.
- Explains how canf created the blue ribbon commission for the economic reconstruction of cuba, which envisions a libertarian cuba where all of the nation's infrastructures would be run and operated by the private sectors.
- Analyzes how the zadokite priestly party rejects isaiah's vision of a god who acts on the side of oppressed and afflicted people.
- Explains that ezra created a buffer zone where the inhabitants strictly obeyed the "laws of [their] god and the law of the [persian] king."
- Explains that barkin, david and nita r. manitzas, eds., "la redistribución del consumo." cuba: camino abierto.
- Cites brubaker, rogers, "rethinking classical theory: the sociological vision of pierre bourdieu." theory and society 14: 745-75.
- Explains hanson, paul d., the people called: the growth of community in the bible.
- Describes jorge, antonio, jaime suchlicki, and adolfo leyva de varona. cuban exiles in florida: their presence and contribution.
- Cites kiger, patrick j. squeeze play: the united states, cuba, and the helms-burton act.
- Opines that olson, james s., and judith e.olson. cuban americans: from trauma to triumph.
- Explains pedraza-bailey, silvia, "cuba's exile: portrait of a refugee migration."
- Explains prohas, rafael j., and lourdes casal's preliminary report on need identification and program evaluation final report for fiscal year 1973.
- Explains rivera-valdés, sonia, "grandmother's night." bridges to cuba: puentes a cuba.
4070 wordsRead More - Cuban Revolutionexplanatory essayThe Cuban Revolution was a historic event in Cuba that began on July 26, 1953. The event went on and lasted for a total of 5 years, 5 months, and 6 days. It all sparked from when a man named Fidel Castro started a petition to overthrow President Fulgencio Batista. However, after falling to overthrow President Batista in a legal matter, Castro decided to launch an armed revolution. Batista was the 9th and 12th president of Cuba. He served his first term from 1940 to 1944 and his second term from 1952 to 1959. During his first term in office, he was known to be a progressive leader who was supported by Julio Antonio Mella's Communist Party. In his second term, Batista was a dictator trying to get recognition from the upper class of Cuba before he was overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution. Although the revolution came to an end on January 1, 1959, Cuba is still feeling a few repercussions of what took place in the event that would reshape the island of Cuba from what it was before the revolution.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the cuban revolution as a historic event in cuba that began on july 26, 1953 and lasted for 5 years, 5 months, and 6 days.
- Explains how batista joined the army as a private in 1921 and later became an army teacher of stenography. he led the revolt of the sergeants, which overthrew the government of machado.
- Describes how batista defeated san martn to become the first non-white president of cuba.
575 wordsRead More - cubaanalytical essayThe Cuban revolution is seen as a bad thing to Americans, but it did give the Cuban people some social gains. Castro was always liked my the peasants and middle class because he promised to improve their living conditions. Two areas that improved were health care and education.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how fidel castro and his army took over itarian government of fulgencio batista in 1957.
- Explains that january 1st 1959 was one of the most important days in cuba's history and has had substantial effects on many other countries.
- Explains that the cuban revolution was seen as a bad thing to americans, but it did give them some social gains. castro promised to improve their living conditions, including health care and education.
- Analyzes how castro hoped cuba would get out his radical revolution. he had a strong belief in nationalism and encouraged political consciousness among his people.
- Concludes that the photo shows a young revolutionary who not only led an successful revolution, but made change for the better for his people.
619 wordsRead More