A Cuban Revolution
A Cuban revolution was a social and economic change that occurred in the country from 1953 until 2008. The revolution was born of frustration, discontent, and opposition to a dictatorship led by Fidel Castro. It also grew out of the poor state of Cuba and its economy, as well as U.S. policy towards Cuba and its people.
Prosperity and Crisis
During the years leading up to the revolution, there was a period of great prosperity in Cuba, thanks to the high price of sugar (the island's major export). But this came to an end in 1920 when Cuban farmers lost their entire sugar estates in a financial crisis caused by World War I. This was a major blow to the revolution as a whole.
Growing Opposition
The crisis, coupled with the loss of government support from many rural sugar farmers and a growing threat to Cuban independence from the United States, made Batista's rule increasingly untenable. In addition, a strong anti-Batista movement had formed within the countryside, led by a group of dissatisfied farmers and agricultural workers who wanted to make their way in the world of 'free trade'.
Support for the Revolution
These anti-Batista activists were supported by some wealthy landowners and some foreigners who had bought land in Cuba for resale. The revolutionaries sought to create a new, more prosperous Cuba and were eventually successful.
Reforms and Challenges
In order to achieve this goal, the revolutionaries instituted a series of reforms in Cuba's economy. The most important of these was the agrarian reform scheme, which forced landowners to sell their farms in exchange for 20-year bonds at 4.5 percent interest and payments from tax revenues.
Progress and Obstacles
Despite the reforms, the Cuban economy still suffers from the same problems that plagued it before the revolution, and many people continue to live in poverty. Nevertheless, the Castro regime has made considerable progress in some areas, and has achieved its goals in health care and education.
Economic Relationships and Improvements
With the help of Venezuela, Cuba has become a strong partner in the fight against terrorism and has begun to strengthen its economic relationships with other nations. Venezuela, in turn, has encouraged Cubans to become a greater part of its economy through cooperation in education, healthcare, science, and technology.
Better Living Conditions
The revolutionary government has also worked to make Cuba a better place for its citizens by establishing schools and colleges, offering more opportunities in the arts, and encouraging tourism. These efforts have helped to alleviate some of the poverty that is still prevalent in the country today.
Challenges and Limitations
Although the country has made progress in certain areas, there are still a number of challenges that must be overcome in order to fully implement the socialist ideals of the revolution. For example, there are limited legal guarantees for citizens, and the Council of State can overturn any judicial decision. There are no private lawyers and the people have little access to information, including independent newspapers and books.
Recent Economic Changes
In recent years, the Cuban economy has benefited from several changes made by Raul Castro, the new president of Cuba. These include increasing the amount of self-employment opportunities through the creation of the cuentapropista program. This has allowed people to start small businesses and hire employees to work for them, which will lower their costs and increase their incomes. However, there are still some significant restrictions on the types of business that can be established and the level of taxes that are paid.
