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Role in consolidation & maintaining power 

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Role in consolidation & maintaining power 

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Cuba was dependent on the Soviet Union in industry as well.

Cuban economy was in a massive debt to the Soviet Bloc

Cuba joins Comecon, 15 year agreement

Cuban economy became more alligned with the Soviet economy

Five year Plan: Industrialization of Cuba

1985, Gorbachev: cutting down on Soviet support for Cuba

1991: With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba lost all support

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Castro launched the Agrarian Reform. It brke up large landholdings and redistribute land to those peasants who worked it, to cooperatives, and the state.

After 1959 Cuban economy was very dependent on the Soviet Union .

From 1960 to 1990 production of sugar grew by 40 percent

Castro initiated a "battle for sugar" to increase sugar harvest for 1970 to 10 million tonnes.

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Role in consolidation & maintaining power 

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Role in consolidation & maintaining power 

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Castro's alliance with Chavez after the fall of the USSR and the stabilization of the economy shows that he and Cuba in general were not overly reliant on the Soviet Union. This made him seem as more of an independent leader rather than a Soviet "proxy"

Legalization of the U.S. dollar - tourism - Strengthened relations with China and later Venezuela for economic support

Strengthened public support among the lower classes by giving more freedom and power to unions, while eliminating opposition from wealthy and business elites.

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1993 - restoration of free farmer's markets ( farmers could freely sell their products to the public). By 2000 they spread throughout Havana

Many agricultural areas remained weak

7000 cheap organoponicos produced 90% of the fruits/vegetables

Expansion of private farming, increased foreign influences

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Import capacity decreased by 70% in 1989-1992 due to the loss of financing from the USSR

Shortage of fertilizers, animal feed and oil

1993- economy started improving.

In 1998 it continued growing due to Chavez assuming power and forming trade deals with Cuba. It received oil at a lower price

2008 - Russia agreed to fund oil production on the coast of Cuba

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The Special Period - from 1990 (Leona & Anton)

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The Special Period - from 1990 (Leona & Anton)

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Briefly pitch Castro's initiatives in agriculture & industries during the different periods.

Evaluate impact, success and/or failures

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Role in consolidation & maintaining power 

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Role in consolidation & maintaining power 

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Elimination of political opponents

Ties with Soviet Union allowed stability on Cuba for a certain period of time

Once the Soviet Union started to decline, so did Cuba

Cuba became almost entirely reliant on the Soviet Union for economic stability (weak position for Castro)

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Since 1986, Cuba has been engaged in a national effort to redirect its polity and economy;

The reforms were aimed at eliminating private businesses, trade markets, that had been introduced into the Cuban law and Cuban culture, during the 1970s.

It began in 1986 and ended in 1992

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Agrarian Reform Act 1959

All large estates boke up into smaller units

40% of Cuban farmland was didvided up into individual plots for landless plantation workers

Larger ranches were run by co-operatives

Impact -> US government complained about indequate compensation, as they owned larger estates in Cuba

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in order to achieve rapid industrialisation and diversification in agriculture, Guevara becomes minister of industries (1961)

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Soviets agreed to buy sugar (6 cents per pound) up until 1970. While this enabled long term planning, it meant Cuba will have to concentrate on the sugar industry.

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After 1959, real salary of non-agricultural workers rose due to cheaper living conditions standards.

Cuba received in 1960, received 300,000 tonnes of crude oil; however, Castro had to nationalize the pre-existing refineries due to refusal for the refining of said crude oil.

Guevara decides to end the dependency, and becomes the minister of industries, however he remains in power for only a few years; since the famous trading partner that was the USSR, suggested that Cuba stuck to a sugar base production

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Cut the sugar quota

1960 - US decided to destroy the Cuban sugar industry

“They will take away our sugar quota pound by pound, and we will take away sugar mills one by one”

Response of Cuba -> nationalisation of major US properties on the island

Soviet Union agreed to purchase sugar at favourable price( 6 cents per pound).They provided long-term planning

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Castro's improved the living conditions of Cuba, such as eliminating the Unemployment problems, lowering utility and housing prices, as well as giving access to better food quality.

Castro used a type of command economy, where he controlled the trade, and the state owned most if not all of the industries and companies.