Cuban Revolution - Essay Example

On New Year's Day of January 1st, 1969, General Fulgencio Batista fled Havana and members of the 26th of July Movement under the command of Fidel Castro assumed control of the government. Unfortunately, instead of simply bringing an end to a repressive and hated regime, Castro used revolutionary nationalism to change the political, economic, and social realities of Cuban life (Sweig, 2004). At the same time, the Cuban Revolution was a direct blow to the United States as, not only was it a nationalist movement for independence from American hegemony but, within a Cold War context, was interpreted as an American loss to the Soviet Union. As much as the Cuban Revolution has been criticised, it is important to acknowledge the fact that US political domination of the island, the overwhelming poverty suffered by the majority and the oppressive and repressive tactics deployed by the US-backed Batista government all ensured the positive reception of the revolution by the majority of Cubans, if not by the United States. The Cuban Revolution immediately won the support of the masses and, indeed, the revolutionary leaders' popularity only increased, and expanded to include Latin American populations, as a result of political rhetoric which emphasised Cuban independence from US domination and the imperatives of adopting socialism to improve the socio-economic status of the majority (Sweig, 2004). Indeed, in assessing the causes of the Cuban Revolution and the reasons for its success, it is important to highlight the political and economic background. Politically, Cuba, as was the case with Latin American nations in general, had little autonomy and independence from Spain had not led to full-fledged sovereignty but to domination by the United States. Economically, the majority suffered from chronic and absolute poverty while a minority commanded and owned much of the nation's wealth and resources. The fact that the Cuban Revolution was motivated by the aforementioned conditions and determined their reversal ensured its popularity in both Cuba and Latin America. Indeed, the majority of the Cuban populace embraced Castro and his guerrillas, who appeared as young idealists. As rebel soldiers made their way to Havana they were welcomed as conquering heroes by throngs of local villagers who lined the roads and cheered the troops as they passed (Sweig, 2004). Proceeding from the above stated, it is evident that the United States' policies towards Cuba are among the most significant of the revolution's causes. Before 1959 the history of U.S.-Cuban relations played out in the context of U.S. hegemony over the island. Though previous administrations had resisted U.S. influence, few had rejected it outright (Perez-Stable, 1998). Indeed, throughout the history of U.S.-Cuban relations the Cuban elite, those of European origin whose wealth tied them to U.S. interests, had actively welcomed U.S. dominance. Thus, Cubans themselves, especially the elite class, together with U.S. policymakers were responsible for stifling Cuban nationalism and for providing the atmosphere in which the revolutionary government of Fidel Castro fundamentally changed the course of Cuban history and of Cuban-U.S. relations (Perez-Stable, 1998). Before Castro, U.S. officials had worked closely with Cuban leaders. Prior to the U.S. intervention in the Cuban War for Independence many Cubans actively sought U.S. rule. The Cuban elite feared the establishment of a truly democratic republic, or in their words, a Negro Republic (Perez-Stable, 1998). They played on U.S. racial fears and cultural stereotypes, marginalizing their own countrymen. The United States wanted to maintain the status quo and unfettered access to the Cuban economy; the Cuban elites wanted stability and to continue to reap the financial rewards of close ties with U.S. business interests. The Cuban elite also wanted power for themselves. Hence, after Spain surrendered to the United States, some members of the Cuban elite embraced U.S. control over their nation (Perez-Stable, 1998). In the process, both the United States and their Cuban collaborators actively opposed Cuban revolutionary nationalism. The Castro regime anticipated U.S. opposition to its policies. It was no secret that the White House would resist any change in policy deemed detrimental to U.S. interests, whether economic or political. Given past history, it was also no surprise that Washington would attempt to overthrow the regime. Believing that he could continue to maintain the support of the U.S. media as he had during the Sierra campaign, Castro planned to use the press and favorable public opinion in the United States to control the White House (Sweig, 2004). The U.S. press had played a significant in role in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the past. Its characterization of the Cubans as victims in need of U.S. assistance during the war for independence stirred up anti-Spanish sentiment and contributed to public and congressional pressure to declare war against Spain out of humanitarian concerns. The press also played a significant role in bringing to light Batista's atrocities and Castro's heroics, which also shaped congressional and public opinion in the United States. Matters did not work out as planned since during the first weeks of Castro's government, members of the U.S. press who had supported his opposition to Batista the most, were the most vocal critics of his policies (Sweig, 2004). Nevertheless, with his base of domestic support and his successful elimination of opposition at home, Castro solidified the Cuban Revolution, established himself as the nation's incontrovertible leader and then, secure in his power, implemented communism, thereby guaranteeing deep and permanent antagonistic relations with the United States (Perez-Stable, 1998). In sum and as based upon the above, it is important to note that Castro represented the rebirth of Cuban nationalism. The Cuban Revolution was incited by political and economic conditions which had aroused the dissatisfaction of the majority of Cubans; political and economic conditions from which the greater majority of Latin American countries suffered. Castro addressed those conditions in that he not only turned against the United States but he also marginalized the Cuban elite by confiscating their properties and, to a degree, redistributing their wealth among the poorer classes. In so doing, he ensured the popularity of his revolution, not just in Cuba but in much of Latin America. The success of the Cuban Revolution, in other words, lay in that it was motivated by and subsequently addressed political, economic and social conditions to which the majority objected and it is, thus, that Castro was able to withstand the efforts of both the United States and the Cuban counterrevolutionaries to oust him from power. Bibliography Perez-Stable, M. (1998) The Cuban Revolution: Origin, Cause and Legacy. NY: Oxford University Press. Sweig, J. (2004) Inside the Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro and the Urban Underground. Boston: Harvard University Press. Read More