Castro, The Cuban Revolution, And Their Influence on Cuba's Modern-Day Society

    There was a clear power difference amongst Cuban citizens in the 19th century as resentment of wealthy political figures grew. Creoles were of European descent, but knew they were not receiving the same privileges as the peninsulares (Spanish natives). For that reason, there are political in addition to social factors that influences this upcoming revolution. Rising tension within Cuba as well as between America and Spain occurred following the Ten Years War in the late 19th century. All sides understood that whoever took control would define the future character (or "Cubanness") of Cuba, so the stakes were high. Tension rose to an all-time extreme when an American ship was blown up near a Havana harbor. Roosevelt declared war on Spain, and the battle ended relatively quickly. It is evident to me that the United States attacked the Spanish because they wanted control over Cuba for economic purposes. For this reason, I believe this is a great strategic reaction by the U.S., even if they cannot prove Spain's guilt for the explosion. I do not think attempts for peaceful negotiations would drive the Spanish out of the country. The Treaty of Paris, following the war, provided the U.S. with ownership of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

    Fidel Castro rose to fame during Cuban struggles for independence from the United States. In 1953, just three years after graduating from law school, he already began fighting for justice. He led the Cuban revolt, with the date of the initial attack (Movimiento 26 de Julio) going down in history as a failure. One question I had about Castro was: How did he manage to gain so much influence in such a short amount of time? After subsequent attempts, the government was overthrown, and Castro took over the head position. While one can argue that the Cuban Revolution was due to the social and political discrepancies within the country, the sole influence of Castro should not go overlooked. During the earlier stages of Castro's pushes for a revolt, there was little resistance against him because at that time he represented the people (and the wishes of the people). I believe the people of Cuba needed some sort of authority figure to look up to in order to make the Revolution possible. Castro united like-minded people in Cuba who were determined to see change in the community, and was easily able to attract recruits while he was building up for his attack in the 1950's. Whether perceived as for better or for worse by the Cuban people, Castro as well as the Cuban Revolution has certainly influenced Cuba's modern-day society. The impact Castro had on Cuba makes me wonder: How would the Cuban Revolution play out if Castro were not involved at all?

    The political system of contemporary Cuba is termed as "Democratic Centralism," which definitely gives more power to the masses of citizens in the country. I believe the shift in government styles over the years is due to the struggle for human rights during the Revolution, and their society is taking a step in the right direction in terms of striving for complete independence. Thanks to the efforts that were made towards relaxing national censorship and building an egalitarian society, women have seen far more success in important positions, such as dentists and doctors. The Family Code in 1974 restructured gender expectations in Cuba, stating that domestic chores were now the responsibility of both partners in a family. Finally, the overall health of Cubans has increased dramatically following the Revolution. I am astounded that Cuba is in elite company with the United States and Canada, regarded as having the "best health status" in the Western hemisphere. Although citizens do not currently hold as much power individually as United States citizens do, I expect improvements in their rights to be made in the near future.