The Cuban Revolution

Abstract
This study looks into the struggles of the Cuban Revolution, from its guerilla days to its continuation today as a struggle against foreign control and socio-economic instability. The paper posits that the Cuban Revolution is a continuing struggle for socio-economic stability and independence from external pressure, particularly from the United States. The term "Cuban Revolution" refers not only to the revolution that toppled the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, but also to the continuing struggle of the Cuban government to provide better services and economic growth to the people of Cuba.

On New Year's Day, 1959, the revolutionary forces of the 26th of July Movement, led by Fidel Castro, finally toppled the corrupt and dictatorial regime of Fulgencio Batista. The dictator's fall from power, however, was not the end of the road for the revolution. Rather, it was merely the beginning, as the newly established Castro government sought international recognition, economic growth and, most importantly, freedom from the influence and pressure exerted by the government of the United States of America. It is no coincidence that the on-going socio-economic programs in the country are at times referred to as the Cuban Revolution. These policies and programs are a continuity of the fight that began in 1956 - a legacy of Cuba's battle for stability and independence.

This paper posits that the Cuban Revolution is a continuing struggle for socio-economic stability and independence from external pressure, particularly from the United States. This study shall prove that the Cuban Revolution is, in theory, a revolution that seeks to better the lives of ordinary Cubans. In order to achieve this betterment, however, the Castro government believes that it is imperative for Cuba to step out of the United States' shadow and be independent. The validity of such mentality, or even the ability of the Castro government to put theory into practice, is no longer the crux of the matter. This study is an attempt to understand the Cuban Revolution from the eyes of the Cubans, particularly those who led it and continue to lead it to this day.

It should not, however, be taken to mean that this study is supportive of the Cuban Revolution and the Castro Regime. Rather, this study is more focused on an empathetic understanding of one of the most highly criticized and controversial governments in the world. The international media often focuses on allegations of human rights violations and the economic embargo imposed by the United States. Those that appear in support of the Cuban government, however, tend to be rather propagandistic in tone, and are, more often than not, taken less seriously. This study, therefore, intends to present an unbiased and scholarly understanding of the Cuban Revolution, from its guerilla beginning to its continuing struggle to this day.

Prior to Victory - The Beginning of the Cuban Revolution

In their book, Cuba: Anatomy of a Revolution, Huberman and Sweezy (1960) note the factors that fueled the Cuban revolution. One significant factor, of course, was poverty. With its abundant natural resources and small population, it would seem as if the people of Cuba should be enjoying immense wealth and high standards of living. In truth, however, the people of this island nation lived in abject poverty, with no access to the barest necessities of decent living. Modern conveniences were absent from Cuban homes, causing poor sanitary conditions made worse by a public ignorant and uninformed about the basics of proper hygiene. Medical care was not readily accessible; disease and malnutrition plagued the nation (pp.3-5).

There was no effective system of education in place, and few children were able to attain significant learning from what institutions were present. The government made no effort to improve the educational system, and there was no sufficient supply of teachers, equipment or school buildings to provide proper education to the Cuban children. Workers relied mostly on sugar cane plantations, enjoying the benefits of employment for a few months before they have to face hunger once more. The entirety of Cuba was focused only on one crop - sugar - which provided an estimated four seasons of prosperity to the poor people of the country. The rest of the year, they scrounge around for meals and other jobs, hoping for even meager income to get them through the "dead season" (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.9).

What was worse, however, was the great divide that emphasized the inequality of Cuban society. As discussed earlier, the poor lived in extreme poverty, with barely any access to shelter, education and health care. On the other hand, the wealthy few who controlled the lands and owned sugar plantations lived in grand opulence and decadence. While the poor children had to endure learning outside concrete school buildings, the children of the moneyed class attended private schools. Whereas the plantation workers practically begged for food whenever sugar went off-season, wealthy plantation owners remained well-fed and even had enough earnings to purchase more land (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.8).

Moreover, the government itself was not fully reliable to defend the rights of the people. Under the dictatorship of Batista, there was no real democracy despite the insistence of the government that it was, in fact, for the people. As Juan Del Aguila (1994) wrote, "the viability of the democratic system was not fully established during Batista's, or for that matter, subsequent administrations. Too many still viewed the state as a treasure to be raided or as a formidable dispenser of political favors" (p.28). It was a corrupt system of cronies and connections underneath the government's mask of democracy and equality. Though the Batista government did, in fact, seek to improve the standards of living in the country, it is undeniable that the development in the rural areas lagged terribly behind (Del Aguila, 1994, p.28). It is this economic disparity that drove many peasants to support the socialist ideals of the Cuban Revolution.

Another matter that significantly influenced the formation of the revolution was the intervention of the United States in Cuban affairs. As Huberman and Sweezy (1960) noted, the United States had always been highly interested in Cuba, primarily because of its geographical proximity. Military defensive strategy and trade made Cuba highly important to the United States, and it was always the latter's intention to maintain pseudo-control over the former. As early 1823, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams encapsulated the very concept that would define Cuban-American relations for decades.

In a letter to the American Minister of Spain, Quincy wrote, "Cuba, forcibly disjoined from its unnatural connection with Spain and incapable of self-support, can gravitate only toward the North American Union, which, by the same law of nature can not cast her off from its bosom" (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.11). In 1858, American senator Stephen Douglas arrogantly asserted that Cuba was destined to belong to no one else but the United States (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.12), an assertion that would remain a bone of contention between the two countries. Cuba was not at all inclined to live under the shadow of the United States, despite booming trade and political relations.

Much of Cuba's economy was in the hands of American companies. The United Fruit Company was one of these operators who bought tracts of land in Cuba, essentially taking over the majority of the sugar business. As these businesses continued to boom, the Cubans became more and more aware of the inequality that left them poor and living in squalor while major American corporations like the United Fruit Company carted off its earnings into the United States. As the poor rural workers slaved away in the fields, the Americans and their Cuban lackeys lived lavishly in the city; their extravagant parties and obscene spending highlighted the luxury they enjoyed while abject poverty ravaged the rest of the country (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.21).

The Revolution - 1956 to 1959

Under these circumstances, it would not be difficult to understand why a revolution broke out in Cuba. The situation called for radical changes in all sectors of the country, be it political, economic or social. The people wanted freedom from poverty and the foreigners who dominated the nation's wealth yet gave nothing back. Soon enough, the social volcano was ripe for change. The people of Cuba were ready to change the status quo and regain control over their own country. Fueled by outrage against a corrupt and dictatorial government; poverty; miserable living conditions; and the dominance of a foreign power, Cuba was ready for a transformation. The Cuban Revolution is the culmination of the people's demand for change.

On July 26, 1953, the beginning of the revolution was launched. Fidel Castro, along with his brother Raul and a few others, attacked Fort Moncada - a significant military fortress in Cuba. The plan failed miserably, however, and many of the insurgents died during the attack. Others were arrested and tortured in prison. Fidel and his brother managed to escape, but were later forced to surrender because of the army's random arrests and the murder of anyone suspected of assisting the rebels. The government's violent response to the Moncada attack aroused the nation's interest: finally, there was a man brave enough to challenge the tyrant. Though the plan to capture Moncada failed, Fidel Castro had succeeded (albeit with much help from the government's violent ways) in gaining the support of the people (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.29).

Though Castro was later pardoned and exiled to Mexico with his brother, the revolution was, in fact, only beginning. Castro stayed in Mexico and quietly gathered supporters who would follow him into a full-scale revolution against the Batista government. It was during this time that Castro met Ernesto "Che" Guevarra - another popular revolutionary. The group became known as the 26th of July Movement, in memory of their failed attack on Moncada. The road to victory, however, was far from swift. The initial plan to surprise the government through an attack by sea failed and the guerillas were forced to hide in the mountains of the Sierra Maestra (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.29).

Yet the revolution did succeed. Despite the meager number of Fidel Castro's guerillas, they had support that the government did not. The sophisticated weapons and trained combatants of the government's army suffered defeat in the hands of the guerillas, whose cause drew much support and assistance from the local peasants. It was an astounding feat, getting nearly all sectors of the nation behind their cause. As Huberman and Sweezy (1960) noted, by the time Batista fled on January 1, 1959, Cubans from nearly all walks of life had identified themselves with Castro's cause. The entirety of Cuba was Castro's ally - a feat that revolutionary leaders have been able to duplicate. It was, therefore, a victory for the Cuban revolution (p.56).

After the Triumph - Changes after the Revolution

Early on, Fidel Castro had expressed his intentions in Cuba. Transformation, of course, was imperative on all levels and aspects of the country. He said, "The Cuban people want something more than a mere change of command ....The people must be given something more than liberty and democracy in abstract terms. Decent living must be made available to every Cuban; the state cannot ignore the fate of any of its citizens who were born and grew up in the country. There is no greater tragedy than that of the man capable and willing to work, suffering hunger together with his family for lack of work" (Huberman and Sweezy, 1960, p.50). In his speech, he identified the most crucial areas of change: politics, economy and society. All these areas must face transformation and improvement in order to declare that the Cuban revolution had, indeed, succeeded.

On the day Castro walked into Cuba as its new leader, he declared, "The revolution begins today!" (Thomas et al, 1984, p.7) It was not quite a surprising declaration, considering how he viewed the revolution as a continuing struggle to change Cuba. The Cuban Revolution was more than a battle for political supremacy. At its very core, it is the call for change and improvement, seeking betterment for the lives of the ordinary Cuban people. Despite the negative portrayal of Cuba, therefore, it is necessary to see whether or not the revolution did succeed in improving the lives of the people. The socialist government under Castro's guidance sought to provide employment, improve the standards of living and gain the country's complete independence from foreign rule.
But was the revolution truly successful? Economically speaking, the answer is yes. It is important to note, however, that there were also flaws and failures in the economic plan implemented under the Castro government. The country experienced a number of economic difficulties, not least being the embargo imposed by the United States. The indiscriminate adaptation of socialist principles to the Cuban economy also caused structural problems that further weakened the already faulty economic structure (Centro de Estudios Sobre America, 1992, p.14). Initially, the government's flawed economic decisions led to the worsening of conditions in the country.

Today, however, the government has continuously provided the people with free education, health care, employment, housing, and retirement benefits. Basic necessities are sold at low and affordable prices, ensuring that every Cuban would have access to the most staple of needs (GlobalSecurity.Org, 2005). Despite these improvements, the economy remains in precarious conditions, primarily because of the government's difficulty in accessing foreign assistance and the continuing stand-off with the United States.

Conclusion

As such, it may be said that even though the Cuban economy remains rather weak and unstable, the revolution has indeed achieved two of its crucial goals: the betterment of the people's living and independence from foreign pressure. Though it remains reliant on foreign support, Cuba has repeatedly flouted whatever the United States intends to impose on it. Proud and free, the Cuban revolution continues.

References
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