The Effects Of Cuban Revolution On The Cuban Economy

Cuba “held an economical potential that attracted American business interests and a strategic significance for any Central American canal” (Goldfield, Abbott and Anderson, p 638). Cuban rebellion “erupted again in 1895 in a classic guerrilla war… [and] American economic interests were seriously affected” (book pg638). The Spaniards started confining the locals to concentration camps “where tens of thousands died of starvation and disease” (book pg 638). This gained a lot of publicity throughout America as journalist’s were reporting the harsh treatment, which helped persuade our nation to intervene. Furthermore, this led to growing tension between Spain and

After it became officially globally acknowledged that Cuba was in fact a communist state and was being led through a dictatorship run by Castro, it did not take long before powerful enemies and essential allies were formed. The act of seizing all foreign land with none or very little compensation was received with great hostility amongst those who lost in their property through this process, and probably the reaction that had the biggest impact on Cuba’s economy was that of the US. Castro’s communistic policies did not of course help calm this resentment and also took part in leading to the establishment of trade embargos with Cuba from the US. This meant that Cuba would now lose a very valuable buyer of their precious sugar, [5] but they did however gain another one, a powerful nation that shared quite similar Marxist ideals and were quick to form an alliance with the Cubans, the USSR.

In 1959, Cubareceived 74 percent of its imports from the US, and the US received 65 percentof Cuba’s exports. On February 3, 1962, the United States imposed a fulltrade embargo on Cuba, completely ending any type of trade between the twocountries. This embargo remains in effect today, more than four decades later,and has grown ! to be a huge center of debate and controversy (DeVarona 8).Opponents to the embargo argue that the embargo does nothing more than hurt theCuban people, while proponents argue that the embargo places pressure on Castroto repair Cuba’s mismanaged and corrupt government. Both the supportersand the opponents of this embargo have strong arguments and evidence to supportthese

13. What did the American victory in the Spanish-American War allow American business to accomplish in Cuba? What role did the US military occupation force play in the relationship between

The Cuban Revolution, which began in the early 1950’s, was an overthrow of a very corrupt government. It was an attempt to improve the conditions of the Cuban people, but the path was covered in blood and sweat and an informed historian has to ask, was it really worth it? How much actually changed?

The United States embargo of Cuba has its roots planted in 1960, 53 years ago, when “the United States Congress authorized President Eisenhower to cut off the yearly quota of sugar to be imported from Cuba under the Sugar act of 1948… by 95 percent” (Hass 1998, 37). This was done in response to a growing

The Cuban revolution had great domestic and international influences and reshaped Cuba’s relationship with the world, especially with United States, which continues an embargo against Cuba as of this very day. Immediately after the revolution, Cuban government started a program of nationalization and political consolidation, which ultimately transformed Cuba’s economy and society.

The relatively short distance between Cuba and the U.S. naturally led to a long and involved history of relations between the two nations, but relations between the two nations over the past fifty years have been unhealthy and harmful to both nations. The embargo imposed by the U.S. has only been damaging and unhelpful to the situation. “As a result of the new government’s nationalization policy, American investors suffered major losses and the U.S. retaliated in July 1960 by canceling planned purchases of Cuban sugar” (Crouch 70). This was the first act of neglect toward Cuba that would only quickly progress until all trade and relations were cut off with Cuba.

The United States’ and Cuba’s relationship has always been very volatile and open to change. Since the early twentieth century, the two countries have been close but separated at the same time. For a country that is as close as it is to the U.S., Cuba couldn’t be has isolated. Now this relationship wasn’t always bad, but do to the policy decisions of both countries they have a rocky relationship. In recent times, the United States has begun rethinking its harsh policy against the small island nation. In this essay, I will explain the history of the embargo, the issues with it, and what the future looks like for both countries. The Cuban Embargo has been ineffective at spreading democracy, solving human rights issues, and has harmed the economy,

In the early 1900’s, Cuba was a stomping ground for many of the rich and famous from the United States. Many famous movies stars and wealthy business entrepreneurs spend their vacations there along with a substantial amount of money. Trade and commerce between the United States and Cuba flowed freely and abundantly. Even with the Dictatorship-like regime of Batista, the countries benefited from the economic trade between them. This was all about to come crashing down as revolts against Batista occurred and Fidel Castro came to power within Cuba.

The Cuban revolution was the spark that ignited the flame of communism in Cuba. The developing nation gained independence only as recently as 1898, and was already filled with an atmosphere of distrust and resentment towards the United States. In July of 1953, a revolution began in Cuba between the United States backed President Batista and Fidel Castro. Fidel and his brother Raul Castro lead a series of guerilla warfare battles against the forces of President Batista. “I am Fidel Castro and we have come to liberate Cuba,” stated Fidel Castro. In January of 1959, Fidel Castro became the President of Cuba. With the regime of Fidel Castro, Cuba would fall to communism.

Cuba’s current gross national income per person of $5,890 (Talley), enormous debt, and other poor economic conditions can be explained by events tracing back post-World War II in 1945. The island of Cuba was inhabited by different Mesoamerican cultures but introduced to European cultures in 1492 with the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Spain began to colonize Cuba among other Caribbean islands in the 16th century and utilized the island as a stopping point before the New World. This all changed when the collapse of Haiti initiated a sugar boom causing Cuba to emerge as a major world sugar producer. Freedom from Spain was finally gained with the help of the United States after the Spanish American War when the Treat of Paris was signed. About three years later, the Platt Amendment was passed which provided the United States control and great influence in Cuba’s domestic and international affairs. The United States control was further strengthened after World War II when Fulgencio Batista became President of Cuba in 1952. But this created many issues which fueled the Cuban Revolution ending in 1959 when Fidel Castro overthrew Batista, propelling Cuba into a new era of communism. The period of decolonization for Cuba after World War II sparked a surge of nationalism which helped Fidel Castro dissolve American political, economic, and diplomatic ties as well as establish a communist regime after the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba was dependent on the Soviets for trade “At the beginning of 1989, virtually all of Cuba’s foreign trade, 85% of it was with the Soviet Union and other socialist countries of the CMEA.” Cuba began program to increase the tourism industry and within 5 years “tourism revenues grew to 850 million US dollars, as successful foreign investments in new facilities attracted from Europe and Latin America. In the 90s The U.S kept implemented “Helms-Burton legislation and the Torricelli bill” Policies that consolidated the embargo against Cuba, this time Washington punished firms who opted to make investments on the island, the legislations were impediment to Cuba’s integration into the world economy. Cuba adopted a series of structural economic reforms which helped it tremendously “reintroduction of framers markets, transformation of most state farms into cooperatives, legalization of self employment, reduction of subisides to state enterprises” . Cuba depended on Venezuela for inexpensive

Cuba’s involvement with the United States brought social and economic dissatisfaction within the island. Looking at the economic reasons one can see the clear dissatisfaction in the people because when the economy is bad everyone suffers. Cuba’s main failure regarding the economy was the fact that it depended on one single crop for economic prosperity. Dependency on sugar, meant dependency on the United States. The relationship between both countries increased trade for both of them. Many of corporations from the United States relied on Cuba’s sugar plantations which in return increased the sugar exports in Cuba. However, profits from the sugar industry weren’t being reinvested in the island, and the people realized that the United States had the greatest amount of

Cuba’s political instability and sugar-centered economy were the result of U.S. influence through the Platt Amendment and the various Sugar Acts and reciprocity treaties. Marifeli Perez-Stable takes this stance in her book The Cuban Revolution: Origins, Course, and Legacy in her interpretation of Cuban radical nationalism in the 1950’s. The domination of Cuba’s economy by the sugar industry was responsible for much of its wealth but also a great deal of its problems. While the sugar industry generally remained a profitable enterprise in the first half of the 20th Century, Cuba’s growth was hindered by her dependence on it. It fostered unemployment or underemployment, the standard of living was