Revolution

1
Revolution

• Cubas Communist Revolution

2
When do Revolutions Happen?

• In Latin America revolutions happen when
• a structurally weak regime
• meets a guerilla opposition force
• which garners popular support
• Wickham-Crowley, 1992
• Guerrillas and Revolution in Latin America
• Revolutionary Outcomes
• Political Enfranchisement
• Mode of Production and Property
• Class Relations
• Foreign Relations

3
A structurally weak regime

• Fulgencio Batista (195258)
• Personalized rule
• Batista power in 1952 in a military coup, then
  ran unopposed in a democratic election in 1954
• Distance from civil society
• Batistas rule was supported by a small political
  and military elite within Cuba and by strong US
  financial and military aid
• Cross-class opposition
• Resentment of US and mafia infiltration of Cuban
  society and economy
• Suspension of the 1940 constitution
• Violent repression of dissent by military police
• Divided military support

4
meets a guerilla opposition force

• Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo
  Cienfuegos Frank País
• Local revolutionary leaders were crucial
• Mobilizing ideals
• Social justice
• Nationalism
• Democracy

5
(guerilla opposition cont.)

• 1 The Landing
• 2 Dec 1956
• 2 Escape to the Sierra Maestra
• 1956 1958
• 3 The Offensive
• Aug Dec 1958
• 4 Victory in Havana
• 2 Jan 1959

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3
2
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6
which garners popular support.

• Popular dislike of the Batista regime
• Labor union strikes and land invasions in 1958
  and 1959 reflected both revolutionary activity
  and economic and social dissatisfaction
• Peasant support
• Invoked Jose Martí violent opposition to social
  injustice

7
Revolutionary Outcomes.

• Political Enfranchisement
• Universal suffrage, age 16
• Political Parties Cuban Communist Party or PCC
• Legislature National Assembly of People's Power
  - members elected to five-year terms directly
  from slates approved by special candidacy
  commissions
• Executive President of the Council of State and
  President of the Council of Ministers - elected
  by the National Assembly for five year term last
  election 24/2/2008, Raul Castro Ruz unanimously
  elected
• Judicial People's Supreme Court - president,
  vice president, and other judges are elected by
  the National Assembly a mix of communist legal
  theory, Spanish civil law, and American influence

8
Castros Cuba

• Mode of Production and Property
• Development of a triple economy
• State-owned enterprise
• Export enclave
• Informal market sector
• Land reform
• The amount of land held in independent farms of
  67 or more hectares dropped from 71 in 1950 to
  5.1 in 1970
• By 1981 only 9 of arable land was privately held

9
Castros Cuba

• Class Relations
• Capitalist class and bourgeoisie were largely
  wiped out
• Land reform rewards the rural social base
• Social justice programs serve to equalize
  economic disparities

• Infant mortality rate
• 1949 39 deaths/1,000 (est.)
• 2008 5.93 deaths/1,000 (est.)
• Life expectancy
• 1955 59 years (est.)
• 2008 77.27 years (est.)
• Literacy
• 1958 78 (est.)
• 2002 99.8

10
Castros Cuba

• Foreign Relations
• International activism is an inherent aspect of
  Marxist revolution
• From US client to Soviet client state
• The demise of the USSR led to an economic
  downturn in the 1990s and to economic
  liberalization
• Castro believes that the long term interests of
  the US and Cuba are basically incompatible

11
Castros Cuba

• Institutionalization of Changes
• The destiny of peoples cannot depend upon one
  man. Behind me come others more radical than I
  assassinating me would only fortify the
  revolution.
• The transition to Raul Castro

12
Questions

• What are the major factors shaping revolutionary
  outcomes?
• Is revolution a good thing?