Post on 15-Dec-2015
Three Cuban Revolutionary Leaders:Fulgencia Batista, Jose Marti, Fidel
Castro and the RevolutionA Senior CapstoneBy Mary C. Hodo
Totalitarian Regimes
• Attempt to create and establish a utopian society
• Thought by some to be an extreme form of authoritarianism
• “Radical” ideas about new ways of politics
• Most frequent example- Communist regimes
Totalitarian Regimes
• Totalitarian regimes are more brutal than authoritarians- more people die
• Create a “mass terror”- genocides of entire people, anyone they consider to be a threat
• Seek to gain total control- politically, socially and economically
Authoritarian Regimes
• Are much more common today then totalitarian regimes
• No utopian ideas or goals
• Governed by a single ruler or an “elite” group
Authoritarian Regimes
• Rulers tell the people that they must obey based on “moral or sacred” grounds, but
• Do not hesitate to use direct brutal force when faced with any kind of rebellion of opposition, however
• Common in Latin America- ruling committees- President (general), other generals.
Background and Lead-in Pt 1
• Carlos Prio President before Fulgencia Batista
• Batista- President from 1940-1944
• Cuba’s Constitution –no consecutive terms
• Batista took over from Prio in 1952- “Chief of State”, not President
• Batista- Prio was planning revolt- he was allowed to leave the country by Batista
Background and Lead in Pt 2
• Batista- (1933-1940) could make or break a President, controlled Cuba, seemed to care for people
• 1952- formed own party, knew he couldn’t win, so seized the government
• Cancelled the Presidential elections and suspended Congress
• Banned strikes and protests
Batista- 1933-1944
• 1933-1940- and 1940-1944- seemed to care more for the people, advocated for things like education and social welfare and reform
• Military man (General) of strong character, good political mind
• During these years, people were free to voice their opinions
Batista- 1933-1944
• Good reputation with U.S.- Batista compliant with Good Neighbor policy
• Accepted monetary aid from the U.S.
• Were at least 166 American businesses
Batista- 1952-1959
• 166 American businesses by the end, including hotels and casinos- strong U.S. ties
• New Batista gov’t- much harsher this time
• Now, when anything negative was said or a protest held, harsher consequences than ever
Batista- 1952-1959
• Now,- instead of arresting and jailing- sent them to into exile
• “26th of July Movement”- Eastern Cuba• Result- Fidel and Raul Castro exiled to
Central America for a few years• Military also killed people who opposed
the regime- “freethinkers”• Conclusion: authoritarian (leaning towards
totalitarian)
Jose Marti
• Freethinker, considered to be the founder of Cuban Revolutionary thought
• Born in Havana on Jan. 28, 1853• Was a legislator, poet, above all, a
freethinker- • Poetry still significant today- Cuba’s first
“truly” great poet and writer• Possibly most respected political mind in
Cuba
Jose Marti
• Much of Marti’s life was spent fighting for Cuban independence from Spain
• No Cuban heritage, still, he wanted Cubans to unite, despite differences
• He also fought for better conditions for workers- believed in the “poor man”
• “Guantanamera” lyrics-
Jose Marti
• Marti- strong policy on justice- co revolutionaries fair and honest
• Theories on society and justice- interdependent
• Told Cubans- not to be “complacent”, always want better
• For Marti- freedom was the “essence of life” an “inescapable basis for all useful works”
Jose Marti
• Interpretation of freedom- 2 opinions
• Had many ideas for post- independence, reshaping Cuba
• Pride (national) and education were on his “plan” list
• Believed that Cubans would all want it, once they saw it was possible
Jose Marti
• Marti would not live to see Cuban independence- was killed in battle on May 19, 1895
• Was said by Fidel Castro to be an “auteur intellectual” of the Revolution and its “political goals”
• Ideas are still studied and used in studying social democracies
Fidel Castro 1959-
• Prime Minister from 1959-1976
• President from 1976-
• Major leader of Revolution
• At first- seemed like he was going to help Cuba become a leader in Latin America
• Belief in Communist doctrine- Cuba would become increasingly subject to “economic hardship and isolation”
Fidel Castro 1959-
• Led “26th of July” revolt, 1953
• 1956-1958 led revolt- “army” of rebels called the “26th of July Movement”
• Major part of Revolution ended on Jan. 1, 1959, when Batista left Cuba
• At first, the Cuban people thought they had won, that they were going to get change
Fidel Castro 1959-
• Castro talked in 1963 about Cuba’s problems- blamed people, not his own policies
• Believed in personalized interference in order to move the institutional system ahead
• Castro grew more and more radical- focused more on developing Communism
Fidel Castro 1959-
• Went from “moderate left” to more extreme radical as he gained power as PM
• Put political opponents in prison
• 1960s- “embraced” Communism, began accepting aid from Soviets
• Became hostile to U.S., who had helped Batista
• 1960- U.S. embargo on Cuba
• Embargo on Cuba exports- medical supplies, soybeans, rice, and corn products
• Castro- “Yankee imperialism”- retaliated, seized the 166 U.S. businesses
• 1961- Bay of Pigs- Invasion of Cuba by U.S. and Cuban exiles- unsuccessful
• 1962-63- Cuban Missile Crisis
Fidel Castro 1959-
• 1991- Soviet Union collapsed, Castro isolated
• Mid 1990s- thousands fleeing from regime
• Jan 1998- Castro lets Pope visit- result, some political prisoners released
Fidel Castro 1959-
• 1998- 7 Cuban Americans- indicted for conspiracy and attempt to assassinate Castro
• 1999- 4 Cubans arrested for opposing a Communist government- 3 ½-5 years
• 1999- Elian Gonzalez- found in boat off coast of FL- mother and stepfather dies seeking refuge in U.S. with relatives
Fidel Castro 1959-
• November 2004- Cuban dancers defected to U.S., gov’t told them it was illegal to come here and perform
• Were granted asylum
Conclusion
• Conclusion: Castro - authoritarian ruler, arrests political opponents, doesn't kill them
• What now for Cuba? Should U.S. lift embargo, and allow direct travel there? Should they wait until Castro is out of office?