When the government takes over EVERYTHING...here are some of the things that can happen:
"Before the American embargo began in 1960, Cuba's economy was highly unequal, leaving the majority of the rural and working-class population to suffer from severe deprivation while the political elite and foreign interests prospered.
These pre-embargo hardships included:
"Abysmal Rural Poverty: While urban areas had a robust middle class, rural peasants (campesinos) faced extreme poverty. Many lived in shacks with dirt floors, lacking running water, sewage, and electricity. " PBS
"Seasonal Unemployment: Cuba's economy was heavily dependent on the sugar harvest. Macheteros (sugarcane cutters) typically only worked for the four-month harvest season, forcing them into long periods of unemployment and perpetual debt for the rest of the year." Smithsonian Magazine.
"Malnutrition and Hunger: Due to seasonal work and wealth disparity, many rural Cubans suffered from chronic hunger and severe nutritional deficiencies." PBS
"Lack of Healthcare and Education: Public services were largely inaccessible to the poor and those living outside major cities. Illiteracy was widespread in rural areas, and basic healthcare was unavailable to many." PBS
"Political Repression: Life under the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship was marked by violence. Dissidents and opposition leaders routinely faced imprisonment, torture, and executions, while the regime heavily suppressed freedom of speech and the press." Office of the Historian (gov).
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NOW segue to the CASTRO takeover! Supposedly, this was a REVOLUTION to overthrow BATISTA and all the BAD things he did!
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Hardships experienced in Cuba under Fidel Castro's regime include widespread political repression, severe economic privation—particularly during the 1990s "Special Period"—and the denial of civil liberties.
Political Repression & Human Rights
Lack of Democracy: Castro abolished multiparty elections, outlawed independent labor unions, and suppressed alternative political parties.
Persecution of Dissidents: Thousands of political prisoners were held, sometimes facing torture or execution by firing squad. The regime violently targeted journalists, activists, and intellectuals during clampdowns like the 2003 "Black Spring".
Social Discrimination: In the early decades of the revolution, the government marginalized religious groups and subjected the LGBT community to severe discrimination, harassment, and forced labor camps.
Economic Hardship & Scarcity
The Special Period: Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba lost its primary economic lifeline. This triggered catastrophic shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, leading to rampant hunger and daily power blackouts.
Rationing & Poverty: Centralized state planning and the nationalization of private businesses stifled productivity and created a permanent state of scarcity. The state relied on a strict rationing system (libreta) to distribute basic food and goods, which severely limited personal consumption.
PLEASE NOTE!!!!!
Suppression of Civil Liberties
Censorship: The government maintained a strict monopoly on the press, heavily censoring books, newspapers, television, and radio.
Travel Restrictions: For decades, Cubans faced severe restrictions on travel and emigration. This isolation led to massive exiles, with over a million people fleeing the island—often via dangerous maritime crossings.
These pre-embargo hardships included:
"Abysmal Rural Poverty: While urban areas had a robust middle class, rural peasants (campesinos) faced extreme poverty. Many lived in shacks with dirt floors, lacking running water, sewage, and electricity. " PBS
"Seasonal Unemployment: Cuba's economy was heavily dependent on the sugar harvest. Macheteros (sugarcane cutters) typically only worked for the four-month harvest season, forcing them into long periods of unemployment and perpetual debt for the rest of the year." Smithsonian Magazine.
"Malnutrition and Hunger: Due to seasonal work and wealth disparity, many rural Cubans suffered from chronic hunger and severe nutritional deficiencies." PBS
"Lack of Healthcare and Education: Public services were largely inaccessible to the poor and those living outside major cities. Illiteracy was widespread in rural areas, and basic healthcare was unavailable to many." PBS
"Political Repression: Life under the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship was marked by violence. Dissidents and opposition leaders routinely faced imprisonment, torture, and executions, while the regime heavily suppressed freedom of speech and the press." Office of the Historian (gov).
****************************************************************************************************************
NOW segue to the CASTRO takeover! Supposedly, this was a REVOLUTION to overthrow BATISTA and all the BAD things he did!
*****************************************************************************************************************
Hardships experienced in Cuba under Fidel Castro's regime include widespread political repression, severe economic privation—particularly during the 1990s "Special Period"—and the denial of civil liberties.
Political Repression & Human Rights
Lack of Democracy: Castro abolished multiparty elections, outlawed independent labor unions, and suppressed alternative political parties.
Persecution of Dissidents: Thousands of political prisoners were held, sometimes facing torture or execution by firing squad. The regime violently targeted journalists, activists, and intellectuals during clampdowns like the 2003 "Black Spring".
Social Discrimination: In the early decades of the revolution, the government marginalized religious groups and subjected the LGBT community to severe discrimination, harassment, and forced labor camps.
Economic Hardship & Scarcity
The Special Period: Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba lost its primary economic lifeline. This triggered catastrophic shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, leading to rampant hunger and daily power blackouts.
Rationing & Poverty: Centralized state planning and the nationalization of private businesses stifled productivity and created a permanent state of scarcity. The state relied on a strict rationing system (libreta) to distribute basic food and goods, which severely limited personal consumption.
PLEASE NOTE!!!!!
Centralized state planning and the nationalization of private businesses stifled productivity and created a permanent state of scarcity.
Suppression of Civil Liberties
Censorship: The government maintained a strict monopoly on the press, heavily censoring books, newspapers, television, and radio.
Travel Restrictions: For decades, Cubans faced severe restrictions on travel and emigration. This isolation led to massive exiles, with over a million people fleeing the island—often via dangerous maritime crossings.
