A summary of the major effects of the 1959 revolution on Cuban society.

1. Economic, Political and Social Reforms
Presented by : Marsha Barrett

2.  Cuba’s new
government was made
up of Castro as Premier,
Raul Castro as Chief of
the Armed Forces, and
Ernesto Che Guevara as
Economic Advisor.
 Middle class Cubans
assumed positions in
the Cabinet.
 Communism – Castro
changed Cuba into a
Communist country in
1961, two years after the
revolution.
 Communism is a theory
of social change directed
to the idea of a classless
society, it advocated a
centralized political
party and public
ownership of productive
property.

3.  The Bay of Pigs Invasion –
April 1961 CIA trained
Cuban exiles tried
unsuccessfully to cease
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.

4.  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.

5. HEALTHCARE LITERACY AND HOUSING
 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.
 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 .

6.  Claypole, W., Robottom, J. ( 2001) Caribbean
Story Book 2. Harlow: Longman Publishers.
 Hamilton –Willie, Doris (2001) Lest you forget
– The United States in the Caribbean. Kingston:
Jamaica Publishing House.

7.  Claypole, W., Robottom, J. ( 2001) Caribbean
Story Book 2. Harlow: Longman Publishers.
 Hamilton –Willie, Doris (2001) Lest you forget
– The United States in the Caribbean. Kingston:
Jamaica Publishing House.