C U B A N R E V O L U T I O N :

MA J O R E F F E C T S
THIRD FORM HISTORY
AR E D B Y MRS.S. SAYL E S
PREP
LESSON OBJECTIVES
• DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND COMMUNISM.
• DEFINE TRADE EMBARGO, NATIONALIZE, CIVIL LIBERTIES
• DISCUSS THE EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION
• DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS
• DESCRIBE THE RESPONSES OF THE US AND THE USSR TO THE CUBAN REVOLUTION
• ASSESS THE INVOLVEMENT OF CASTRO IN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS AROUND
THE WORLD
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
 INTRODUCTORY
ACTIVITY
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
COMMUNISM AND CAPITALISM?
LE S S O N O BJ E C T I V E 1
ACTE RISTICS OF COMMUNISM
DESCRIBE THE CHAR
 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNISM
• ABOLITION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY
THE FIRST FEATURE OF THE
COMMUNIST ECONOMIC SYSTEM IS THE ABOLITION OF THE PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF MEANS OF PRODUCTION. IN THIS
SYSTEM, AN INDIVIDUAL CAN OWN NOTHING EXCEPT NECESSARIES OF LIFE. NO ONE CAN RUN PRIVATE BUSINESS.

• COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF MEANS OF PRODUCTION

IN THIS SYSTEM ALL
MEANS OF PRODUCTION SUCH AS FACTORIES, FARMS, LAND, TRADE; CONSTRUCTION, MINES AND MEANS OF TRANSPORT
AND COMMUNICATION ARE UNDER STATE OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL.

• CENTRAL PLANNING
UTILIZATION OF NATIONAL RESOURCES AND PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CONSUMER GOODS IS DONE THROUGH
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING. IN OTHER WORDS, THE WORK OF
EFFECTING A BALANCE BETWEEN DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF GOODS IS NOT LEFT TO THE MECHANISM OF PRICES. THE
FORCES OF DEMAND AND SUPPLY ARE BALANCED BY CENTRAL PLANNING.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNISM
• SINGLE PARTY SYSTEM
COMMUNIST SOCIETIES HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN A SINGLE PARTY SYSTEM
WHEREBY POLITICAL OPPOSITION IS NOT PERMITTED

• REPRESSION
OTHER FREEDOMS MAY BE REPRESSED INCLUDING : FREEDOM OF SPEECH, RIGHT
TO PRIVACY, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, FREEDOM OF
RELIGION. AND FREEDOM FROM ARBITRARY DETENTION
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNISM
• ELIMINATION OF UNFAIR GAPS IN INCOMES
EACH INDIVIDUAL IS PAID COMPENSATION ACCORDING TO HIS NEED. THIS ELIMINATES
UNFAIR GAPS IN INCOMES. THE ABOLITION OF REVENUE, INTEREST AND PRIVATE
PROFIT PUTS THE SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH ON A JUST AND FAIR BASIS.

• PROVISION OF NECESSARIES OF LIFE

IN A COMMUNIST SYSTEM, THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE WORK AND
COMPENSATION ACCORDING TO THE CAPABILITIES OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL.
HW: WATCH THE VIDEO AND IDENTIFY THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNISM.
 L E S S ON OBJ E C T I V E 2
L UTION: CASTRO'S POL ICIES
F E CTS OF THE CUB AN REVO
EXPLORE THE E F
ECONOMIC EFFECTS
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS
• 1959 AGRARIAN REFORM ACT: LAND OWNED BY MAJOR AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHERS, SUGAR
AND TOBACCO ESTATES COMPANIES WERE SEIZED WITHOUT COMPENSATION AND MADE THE
PROPERTY OF THE GOVERNMENT. CASTRO THEN PROCEEDED TO REDISTRIBUTE IT IN SMALLER
PARCELS TO LANDLESS LOCALS AT THE RATE OF 27 HECTARES PER FAMILY.

• HE INSTALLED INTERVENERS IN NOVEMBER 1959 TO OVERSEE THE OPERATIONS OF SEVERAL

LARGE AMERICAN COMPANIES. THIS HE SAID TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING TEMPTED TO
FALSIFY THEIR ACCOUNTS: TAX RETURNS, PROFITS MADE AND SO ON. THE UTILITY COMPANIES
WERE ALSO ASKED TO CUT THEIR RATES AND CHARGES.
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS
• IN ORDER TO SHOW THEIR DISAPPROVAL OF CASTRO'S NATIONALIZATION PROGRAM THE U.S.
ENFORCES A TRADE EMBARGO. THEY REFUSED TO SELL HIM ANY WEAPONS OR LEND THE
COUNTRY ANY MONEY. THE MIGHTY ONE WAS BUYING APPROXIMATELY HALF A BILLION TONS OF
SUGAR FROM CUBA AND PAID A BONUS OF 2 CENTS ABOVE THE MARKET PRICE. SHE REFUSED TO
BUY ANY MORE OF THEIR SUGAR. CASTRO RESPONDED BY CHARGING THAT THE U.S. WAS
PRACTICING ECONOMIC AGGRESSION AND ECONOMIC SLAVERY. HE WAS RIGHT. THEY HOPED THAT
WITHOUT OIL AND PARTS FOR THE NUMEROUS PIECES OF AMERICAN MACHINERY ON THE ISLAND
CASTRO WOULD ‘COME TO HIS SENSES'.

• FEBRUARY 13, 1960: RUSSIA SIGNS A TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CUBA TO PURCHASE 5M TONS OF
SUGAR OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD AND TO SUPPLY HER WITH NEEDED TECHNICIANS AS WELL AS
OIL AND ARMS. KRUSCHEV DECLARED THAT THE MUNROE DOCTRINE WAS DEAD AND SUGGESTED
THAT IT BE BURIED SO THAT IT WOULD NOT POISON THE AIR. THE U.S. WAS OUTRAGED AT THE
VIOLATION OF THEIR MUNROE DOCTRINE AND WARNS RUSSIA.
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS
• THE U.S. REACTS BY REFUSING TO REFINE THE CRUDE OIL BOUGHT FROM RUSSIA AT HER
REFINERIES STILL IN CUBA: TEXACO, ROYAL DUTCH AND STANDARD OIL OR TO ALLOW THE
CUBAN GOVERNMENT TO TAKE THEM OVER. CASTRO'S CONTEMPT FOR U.S. SUPERIORITY
AND HEGEMONY OF THE REGION (WESTERN HEMISPHERE) WAS HARD FOR THEM TO
SWALLOW.

• JULY 1960 : HE NATIONALIZED ALL REMAINING U.S. NICKEL PLANT, RICE MILLS, CINEMAS
AND STORES.

• CASTRO RELIED ON SOVIET UNION FOR ECONOMIC SUPPORT; SOVIET COLLAPSE IN

1991 HURT ECONOMY
POLITICAL EFFECTS
 POLITICAL EFFECTS
• CASTRO ESTABLISHED FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH COMMUNIST RUSSIA
• DECEMBER 2, 1961: FIDEL CASTRO DECLARES HIMSELF TO BE A MARXIST LENINIST. HE BEGINS
TO IMPLEMENT SOCIAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE
MASSES. FOR EXAMPLE: NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCHEMES FOR THE MASSES AND ROAD
WORKS WERE STARTED AS EARLY AS 1960.

• JANUARY 1961: CASTRO ORDERED THE U.S. EMBASSY TO CUT ITS STAFF FROM 300 TO 11.
PRESIDENT EISENHOWER (1953-1961) REACTED BY SEVERING TIES WITH CUBA ON JANUARY 3,
1961. HE LEFT OFFICE 17 DAYS LATER. IT WAS UP TO THE NEW PRESIDENT J. F. KENNEDY TO
DETERMINE WHAT TO DO.
 POLITICAL EFFECTS
• APRIL 11, 1961: BAY OF PIGS INVASION WAS A FAILURE AND A FIASCO. CASTRO AND HIS ARMY OF SOME
250,000 MEN AND WOMEN WERE WELL ARMED AND READY TO MEET THE SMALL INVADING FORCES. THE
CIA BUNGLED THE JOB PERFECTLY. THEY ARROGANTLY ASSUMED THAT THIS WOULD BE A PUSHOVER.

• 11,000 U.S. MEN WERE IMPRISONED. CASTRO EXCHANGED THEM FOR A HEFTY RANSOM PRICE OF $53M
IN MUCH NEEDED FOOD AND MEDICINE.

• MOST OF THE SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO HAD SERVED DURING THE BATISTA REGIME WERE
DISMISSED AND THOSE LOYAL TO CASTRO AND THE POLICIES OF THE REVOLUTION WERE HIRED IN
THEIR PLACE.
POLITICAL EFFECTS
• THE POLICE, ARMY AND NAVY WERE PURGED OF CORRUPT OFFICERS. SOME 483
OF THEM WERE FOUND GUILTY OF SERIOUS CRIMES AGAINST THE CUBAN
PEOPLE AND WERE CONSEQUENTLY EXECUTED.

• CASTRO THEN FELT THE NEED TO FORTIFY CUBA. HE THOUGHT THAT THE U.S.
WOULD NEVER DARE TO ATTACK THE ISLAND IF CUBA HAD NUCLEAR MISSILES
AND THE RESULT WOULD BE THE ANNIHILATION OF NEARBY U.S. CITIES
WAS THE CUBAN
MISSILE CRISIS
REACTIVE OR
PREVENTATIVE?
POLITICAL EFFECTS
• OCTOBER 1962: AERIAL PHOTOS SHOW HUNDREDS OF RUSSIAN TECHNICIANS INSTALLING
40 NUCLEAR MISSILES WITH ESTIMATED RANGE OF 1000 TO 2000 MILES. THIS WAS CLEAR
CHRONIC WRONGDOING IN HER BACKYARD.

• THE U.S. ACTED QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY. KRUSCHEV AND KENNEDY MET AND
NEGOTIATED A SETTLEMENT. ON OCTOBER 28, 1962 THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT AGREED TO
PULL HIS WEAPONS OUT OF CUBA WHILE KENNEDY AGREED TO LIFT THE QUARANTINE ON
CUBA AND PROMISED NOT TO INVADE THE ISLAND.

• HER INTERVENTION AND INVOLVEMENT IN WORLD AFFAIRS: AFRICA AND THE

MIDDLE EAST. SHE SHOWED HERSELF AS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
SOCIAL EFFECTS
 SOCIAL EFFECTS
• A NUMBER OF CUBAN MIDDLE CLASS WENT INTO EXILE MAINLY IN FLORIDA.
• CASTRO RECEIVED CRUCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE ISLAND'S WOMEN. BEFORE THIS THEY HAD
LARGELY BEEN IGNORED. CASTRO'S SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARY POLICIES PROCLAIMED THEM AS
EQUALS! THEY WERE DRAFTED IN THE ARMY, HELD TOP RANKING GOVERNMENT POSTS THAT
WERE ONCE CONSIDERED THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS AND DOMAIN OF THE MEN. NEW LABOR
LEGISLATIONS WERE PASSED THAT BENEFITED THE WOMEN IN PARTICULAR: FOR EXAMPLE
SECURITY OF JOBS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.
• MOTHERS GAVE THE REVOLUTION THEIR SUPPORT. WHY? THERE WAS THE CREATION OF SCHOOLS
FOR WOMEN. THEIR CHILDREN WERE ENTITLED TO FREE EDUCATION TO INCLUDE LUNCH AND
EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL.
SOCIAL EFFECTS
• THE REVOLUTION DESTROYED THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION EXPERIENCED BY AFRO-
CUBANS.

• CREATED A MEDICAL CARE SYSTEM AND RAISED LIFE EXPECTANCY

• 1961, PROGRAM VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED ILLITERACY IN ONE YEAR. BY 1964, OVER 90% OF
CHILDREN BORN IN HOSPITALS WERE IMMUNIZED AS WELL AS STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS.

• TOOK AWAY FREEDOM OF PRESS

• PEOPLE’S CIVIL LIBERTIES RESTRICTED UNDER ONE-PARTY SYSTEM. GOVERNMENT JAILS
OPPONENTS, SPIES ON CITIZENS
 L E S S ON O BJ E C T I V E 3
C ASTRO'S RE VOL UTION
E S OF THE US AN D THE USSR TO
ASSESS THE RESPONS
CREATE A TABLE SHOWING THE RESPONSES OF THE US
AND THE USSR TO CASTRO’S REVOLUTION

USA USSR

WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE DIFFERENCES IN THE RESPONSES OF BOTH POWERS TO THE CUBAN REVOLUTION?
 REVIEW QUESTIONS
• EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMUNISM AND CAPITALISM.

• STATE 4 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNISM

• WHY COULD THE AGRARIAN REFORM ACT BE CATEGORIZED AS AN ECONOMIC EFFECT OF THE
REVOLUTION?

• WHAT WAS THE MUNROE DOCTRINE?

• WHICH AGREEMENT WAS MADE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CUBA THAT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A
VIOLATION OF THE MUNROE DOCTRINE? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.

• DEFINE THE TERMS TRADE EMBARGO, NATIONALIZE, CIVIL LIBERTIES.

• “CASTRO DID NOT DECLARE HIMSELF AS COMMUNIST INITIALLY, BUT HIS POLICIES MIRRORED
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNISM.” GIVE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS STATEMENT.

• WHAT WAS THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION?

HOMEWORK

• RESEARCH CASTRO’S INVOLVEMENT IN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS AROUND

THE WORLD (BOLIVIA, ANGOLA, AND NICARAGUA)