Conditions leading to Castro’s rise to power
Conditions: economic, social, impact of war and political
Political
Domination of USA
The ‘Platt Amendment’ of 1901-1934
- Gave the USA control over Cuban foreign policy, the right to station troops and intervene ‘to preserve independence’.
- Guantánamo Bay became a US military base.
Failure of Cuban Government – corrupt and repressive
First president Tomas Estrada Palma (1902-06)
- Dependent on the USA.
- Iintimidated opponents and won elections through fraud.
- He neglected social justice and ideas of independence, believing that it was impossible. An army revolt eventually forced him to resign
García Menocal (1913-21) – presided over imaginary building projects and did little to improve Cuba
Gerardo Machado y Morales (1925-33)
- Assassinated Marxist rival Antonio Mella
- Gunned down striking workers in 1925.
- He outlawed rival parties in 1928
- Faced a failed general strike in 1930.
Batista’s excess in repression, torture and persecution affecting his image, allowed Castro to rise
- By late 1955, student protests and anti-Batista demonstrations were threatening to topple his government. He used violence to kill student protesters – making them into martyrs.
- Batista refused to hold elections in March 1956.
- 20 000 killed during his dictatorship
Other Cuban political parties weren’t seen as good alternatives
- Partido Auténtico – the leaders ruled during corrupt and undemocratic periods in Cuban history
- Partido Ortodoxo – leader committed suicide
- Popular Socialist Party – banned from participating in elections
Economic
Cuba was the world’s largest supplier of sugar, this reliance on monoculture exposed the economy to price fluctuations.
- The sugar crop worth $200m in 1929 was only worth $40m in 1932.
- Initially the USA committed to buying 50% of the annual sugar crop. Yet under pressure from the Congressional Sugar Lobby, this quota was reduced to 29% in 1937.
USA’s domination
- The Sugar trade brought in 80% of Cuba’s foreign earnings – USA, as prime buyer of Cuban sugar power over the Cuban economy
- The Banco Nacional collapsed, and the USA took economic control of Cuba for over three years.
Unemployment was 17% in 1956-57.
- Sugar workers were seasonal, and mostly owned by upper class or foreign companies
- ¼ of all workers lost their jobs during the Great Depression
Inflation
- Raising prices of imports, but lower sugar prices in the international market, therefore no money to buy imports
- It was threatening the living standards of all Cubans, rising to 40% a year for foodstuffs whilst pay levels stagnated.
Social
Social inequality
- 20% of the population lived in Havana yet it accounted for over 80% of investment in construction and 62% of salaries and wages.
- Rural areas lacked running water or electricity
- Ownership – upper class only
Suicide rates had climbed to over 1000 per year in 1955, compared to 849 in 1951.
Lack of access to education and healthcare
- 50% illiteracy
- Rural areas suffered from poor health and educational services with a ratio of 1:227 doctors in Havana compared to 1:2423 in Oriente.
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