Castro’s Domestic Policies – Part 1

Castro’s First Domestic Policies

Eliminate corruption and illiteracyProject to drain a huge swamp for rice-growing and

tourismLow salaries were raisedBig estates (many owned by the U.S.) were broken

up and converted into cooperativesU.S. companies began to be nationalizedIn the short term, all but the very rich found

themselves better off

Castro’s First Domestic Policies

Equality for blacksMore rights for womenEvery citizen was guaranteed employmentSocial services were extended to all classes of

societyCompulsory military service taught discipline and

hard workTemporarily allowed disaffected people to leave

Heading for the U.S.

Anti-Castro Cubans headed for the U.S., especially FL. Nearly 1 million arrived between 1960 and 2000

There many conducted a terrorist campaign against the Castro regime with the active support of the CIA

End of President UrrutiaThe commander of the Air

Force, Diaz Lanz, defected to the U.S. because of the growth of communism

President Urrutia denounced Lanz for his defection, but made a lengthy attack on communism.

Castro “resigned” from the government because he believed that Urrutia had shown no interest in promoting social improvement

However, a mass public meeting of ½ million on the 26th of July showed support for Castro to resume his post and caused Urrutia to resign

Consolidating PowerBeing anti-communist was the same as being

counter-revolutionaryAt Havana University, troublesome professors

were expelled or neutralizedTrade unions were infiltrated by communistsArrests of outspoken journalists caused hostile

newspapers, television, and radio stations to conform or close down

Foreign priests were expelled, Cuban priests harassed and imprisoned, seminaries closed won, publications prohibited, and security men placed in churches

Security services placed bugs

Education Policies

Castro’s Education Policies

In 1961, the government nationalized all private educational institutions and introduced a state-directed system

Education is free at all levels and controlled by the Cuban Ministry for Education

However, once a student reaches the 7th-12th grades, he is required to spend 30 days without pay each year working on the land

Castro’s Education PoliciesSchools emphasize hard work, self-discipline, and

love of countryStudents are required to work in agriculture three

times a weekThe system has been criticized for political

indoctrinisation and for monitoring the political opinions of the students

Agricultural Policies

Building of AgricultureAgriculture was collectivizedHe wanted the sugar harvest to double over the next five

years to reach 10 million tons by 1970; they reached 8.5 tonsCuba completely depended on sales of sugar to obtain

foreign currency.Castro envisaged a massive modernisation of agriculture.

Security and Economy

Building of SocialismSocial services

Education was made available to Cubans for free (even meals at school)

Health services were made available to Cubans for free

Housing was improvedImprovements were made in sanitation

Building of Economy

EconomyFailed to achieve significant growthNo cash to buy luxury goodsFailed to reduce its dependence on the country’s chief export, cane sugarThis was because:

Economic warfare was waged by the U.S. – allies were pressured to join the embargo

Economic decision making power was concentrated in a centralized bureaucracy headed by Castro

GovernmentCorruption was severely reducedIn 1976, a new constitution was

passed, which set up an elected Municipal Assembly, who in turn elected Provincial Assemblies, which then elected the National Assembly

The State Council advised Castro like the Cabinet would the President in the U.S.

Castro was the still the head of state and the National Assembly and State Council “rubber stamped” his decisions

The CDRs also made sure no one hostile to the revolution was elected; political parties banned

Why Follow Castro?

Emphasis on the goodNew schools, roads, hospitals

He never stopped talking and discussingHe used a type of “direct democracy” that

made millions of Cubans feel involved and consulted in a way that had never happened under previous governments

Compared himself to Christ; cult of personality was built up

Common enemy and scapegoat was the U.S.

Embassy and Mariel Incidents

In 1980, the Peruvian Embassy’s gates were crashed by a bus full of people who wanted to defect, killing a Cuban soldier

After refusing to give up the people, Castro removed all the guards – more than 10,000 people crowded into the Embassy buildings

Also in 1980, Cuban authorities rounded up criminals and lunatics

They took them to the port of Mariel for shipment to Florida

Cuba eventually got rid of a total of 120,000 discontented or unwanted people

One of the boats in the Mariel Boatlift

Peruvian Embassy in Cuba

– 10,800 disaffected

Cubans stormed it

“Special Period”

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991:The price for Cuban sugar declinedThe price for Cuba’s main import – oil – roseThe Cuban economy went into a free fallBicycles replaced cars; oxen replaced tractorsGovernment officials were laid offConstruction projects stoppedFactories producing non-essential goods were closedElectricity cuts began and lasted up to 16 hours a day

“Special Period”

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991:People sold and bought on the black marketProstitution became legalMost people ate one meal a dayThere was an epidemic of a disease causing blindness

– caused by malnutritionBush extended the embargo and limited the

number of Cubans gaining visas

Fixing the Economy

Small scale private enterprise was legalizedFarmers could sell products on open markets at

prices fixed by themselves“War of All the People” defense strategy called for

guerilla warfare, so bunkers and tunnels were builtIn 1994, when economic unrest led to anti-

government demonstrations, restrictions were lifted on those wanting to leave the country

Fixing the Economy

Cuba couldn’t make inroads in bio-technology because of many years of testing and giant multinationals

Oil companies wouldn’t sign contracts to explore for oil due to fear of the U.S. (BP feared CANF would sabotage its stations)

CANF (Cuban-American National Foundation), a powerful lobbying group, wouldn’t let any politician normalize relations with Cuba

Control of Population

Castro’s Treatment of MinoritiesCommittees for the Defense of

the Revolution (CDR) is a network of committees across Cuba

The organizations are designed to report "counter-revolutionary" activity

The CDR officials have the duty to know the activities of each person in their respective blocks

There is an individual file kept on each block resident, some of which reveal the internal dynamics of households

Citizens must be careful of their actions and of what they say, as they are being constantly monitored

Castro’s Treatment of Minorities

The committees have often received negative international coverage, and been cited by human rights groups as being involved in activity described in Cuba as "acts of repudiation“

These acts include abuse, intimidation and sometimes physical assault against those deemed "counter-revolutionary"

Castro’s Treatment of Minorities

Thousands of political opponents to the Castro regime have been killed, primarily during the first decade of his leadership; exact numbers are not known

Some Cubans labeled "counterrevolutionaries", "fascists", or "CIA operatives" have been imprisoned in extremely poor conditions without trial

Castro’s Treatment of Minorities

Military Units to Aid Production, or UMAPs, were labor camps established in 1965 which confined "social deviants" including homosexuals and Jehovah Witnesses in order to work "counter-revolutionary" influences out of certain segments of the population

There were thousands of executionsThe camps were closed in 1967 in response to

international outcries

Castro’s Treatment of Minorities

Fidel Castro portrays opposition to the Cuban government as illegal, and the result of an ongoing conspiracy fostered by Cuban exiles with ties to the United States or the CIA

Many Castro supporters say that Castro's measures are justified to prevent the fall of his government, whereas his opposition says he uses the United States as an excuse to justify his continuing political control

Religion and Castro

Castro’s Treatment of Religious GroupsCuba was declared to be atheistNo religions were allowed to grow.Cuban agents from the Ministry of the Interior

watched and spied on those who have worshiped in churches and in their homes

Castro’s Treatment of Religious GroupsThe Fidel Castro government presently still restricts

religion by:Blocking construction of new churchesLimits the arrival of foreign religious leadersRefuses to recognize most new denominationsImport of religious articles is controlled and

monitoredMany private churches and other houses of worship,

including meetings in private places have been disbanded, boarded up and shut down

So called "unregistered religious groups" (not state recognized) experience regular harassment, and repression

Religious material is confiscated

Castro’s Treatment of Religious Groups

In 1992, Castro agreed to loosen restrictions on religion and even permitted church-going Catholics to join the Cuban Communist Party

He began describing his country as "secular" rather than “atheist”

Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in 1998, the first visit by a reigning pontiff to the island. Castro and the Pope appeared side by side in public on several occasions during the visit. Castro wore a dark blue business suit (in contrast to his fatigues) in his public meetings with the Pope and treated him with reverence and respect

Women in Castro’s Cuba

Role of Women in Castro’s Cuba

One of the most significant changes brought about by the Cuban Revolution has been to the lives and status of women

Before 1959, the role of most Cuban women resembled that of other women in most countries

Women enjoyed few rights and were expected to sacrifice their interests for the well-being of the family

Role of Women in Castro’s Cuba

The Labor Code ensures equal rights and opportunities for women in all fields of work as well as an equal salary

Social security applies to men and women equally

Women have the right to an abortionEquality of access is ensured in both

education and health

Role of Women in Castro’s Cuba

Much of the success in implementing the legislation relating to the rights of women has been achieved thanks to the work of the Federation of Cuban Women

Over 85% of Cuban women are members and it now has 73,710 branches throughout the country

Role of Women in Castro’s Cuba

The Federation’s activities cover a wide number of areas:Works collaboratively with the government, trade

unions, mass media, international organizations, etc.Mounts grass-roots level campaignsRuns women’s training centers for awareness of their

rightsDevelop non-sexist attitudes among students in

schoolsCarry out research where there are still problems

The Arts and Propaganda

Castro’s Cuba – The Arts

After the Cuban revolution of 1959 Cuban artists became more isolated from the artistic movements of the United States and Europe

Though artists continued to produce work in Cuba, many pursued their careers in exile

Theaters, cinemas, concerts, art exhibitions, etc. were all censored

Castro’s Cuba – Media & Propaganda

Citizens and press must be careful of their actions and of what they say, as they are being constantly monitored

Castro usually wears military uniforms and has made fiery speeches

Castro’s Cuba – PropagandaCastro’s speeches lasted for

several hours on end. In the early years, he seriously tries to inform the Cuban people, illustrating his arguments with facts and figures and speaking openly about problems

Much propaganda had to deal with the U.S. being stubborn or evil

Other propaganda emphasized the preeminence of Castro and the revolution

Castro’s Cuba – PropagandaHowever, his “cult of personality” has been less

built up than other dictators (Hitler, Mussolini, Zedong, Stalin)

For example, you will find no statues, streets, schools, towns, or money with Castro’s name

Castro is looking for statues of himself

World solidarity with Cuba

No economic blockade of Cuba! Foreign exchange, petroleum, medicaments, imported and exported goods

7th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution

Poster calling for Cubans to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the Moncada attack. The attack is seen as the starting point of the Cuban revolution, and is celebrated every year with a big meeting at the Square of the Revolution in Havana

May Day. All with Fidel on the Square of the Revolution