Economic, Political and Social Reforms

 Cuba’s new  Communism – Castro

government was made
up of Castro as Premier,
Raul Castro as Chief of
the Armed Forces, and
Ernesto Che Guevara as  Communism is a theory
Economic Advisor.
 Middle class Cubans
assumed positions in
the Cabinet.
changed Cuba into a
Communist country in
1961, two years after the
revolution.
of social change
directed to the idea of a
classless society, it
advocated a centralized
political party and
public ownership of
productive property.
 The Bay of Pigs Invasion –
April 1961 CIA trained
Cubans exiles tried
unsuccessfully to seize
control of Cuba.
 The Cuban Missile Crisis
of 1962 started due to
pictures showing that the
USSR had installed
missiles in Cuba aimed at
the United States.
 Cuba developed a
political relationship with
the USSR and soon
adopted its political
ideology of communism.
 Political pressure was
placed on Cuba in the
following ways:
 The staff of the US
embassy encouraged
Cubans who were
dissatisfied with Castro to
start anti- Castro
campaigns.
 Diplomatic relations with
the US were broken off.
 In 1962 Cuba was expelled
from the O.A.S.
 Agrarian Reform – May 1959
 The 1st reform expropriated US
private holdings in Cuba. US
responded by cutting the sugar
quota.
 There was a compensation granted
to Cubans who had land
expropriated, however there was no
compensation to those who had
cattle and machinery expropriated.
 Land was divided and placed into
the hands of the landless.
 Interveners were sent into American
companies to get them to improve
their services and cost to Cubans.
 2nd Agrarian Reform saw the land
given to the peasants being taken by
the government as Cuba was now
Communist.
 A 100,000 loan was given to Cuba
with an interest rate of 2.5% by the
USSR.
 Poland would buy sugar in
exchange for raw materials from
Cuba.
 China would take sugar in exchange
for rice.
 The Soviet Union exported to Cuba
oil, petroleum, iron, aluminium and
fertilizers.
 In reaction to this the US refused to
refine oil in their 3 refineries and so
Cuba ceased these refineries.
 Compensation to US mills
expropriated very small.

HEALTHCARE
 Establishment of clinics
 Creation of a dispensary
on wheels.
 Homes were established
for the aged and nurseries
established for babies.
 Brothels and casinos were
closed.
 More doctors were made
available in rural areas.
LITERACY AND
HOUSING
 Before 1959 27% of urban
population and 67% in rural
never attended school.
Young students were taken

from schools to teach people in
the rural areas to read.
 Castro was able to open more
schools in 30 months than his
predecessors had in 30 years.
 35,000 teachers and 100,000
secondary students with 165,000
others reduced the illiteracy rate
to 4%.
 27 houses were built per day
and 883 per month .