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Causes Of The Cuban Revolution

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Despite the glamorous veneer publicized to foreign tourists, Cuban society was plagued by a complex web of unjust conditions, highly influenced by the past century of colonial control. In 1959, Fidel Castro finally pushed it over the edge and led the Cuban Revolution to overthrow Fulgencio Batista. While it later became known as a socialist revolution, it is important to remember that it began in a large part as fundamentally nationalist. Understanding nationalism as a cause of the revolution allows one to consider the conditions that gave rise to that nationalism. The conditions that Castro utilized to build support ranged largely from economic to political, all helping to create an atmosphere of unrest and anger. Behind each of these conditions lies American interference and involvement in Cuba.
Economically, U.S. involvement in Cuba largely began with the 1903 Platt Amendment added to Cuba’s Constitution after the U.S. became a part of Cuba’s War of Independence from Spain. The amendment allowed for unilateral intervention in Cuba as well as providing a foothold through which American banks and companies could become invested in the country. By the mid-1950s, a significant portion of the Cuban economy became U.S.-owned, including 90% of telephone and electrical services and 40% of all sugar production (Brenner, 2015,5). In addition, a tourist industry developed in Havana, run by people who were not only Americans but often American mobsters. Through the addition of these

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