The Origins Of The Cuban Revolution Reconsidered (envisioning Cuba)
by Samuel Farber /
2006 / English / PDF
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Analyzing the crucial period of the Cuban Revolution from 1959 to
1961, Samuel Farber challenges dominant scholarly and popular views
of the revolution's sources, shape, and historical trajectory.
Unlike many observers, who treat Cuba's revolutionary leaders as
having merely reacted to U.S. policies or domestic socioeconomic
conditions, Farber shows that revolutionary leaders, while acting
under serious constraints, were nevertheless autonomous agents
pursuing their own independent ideological visions, although not
necessarily according to a master plan.
Analyzing the crucial period of the Cuban Revolution from 1959 to
1961, Samuel Farber challenges dominant scholarly and popular views
of the revolution's sources, shape, and historical trajectory.
Unlike many observers, who treat Cuba's revolutionary leaders as
having merely reacted to U.S. policies or domestic socioeconomic
conditions, Farber shows that revolutionary leaders, while acting
under serious constraints, were nevertheless autonomous agents
pursuing their own independent ideological visions, although not
necessarily according to a master plan.
Exploring how historical conflicts between U.S. and Cuban
interests colored the reactions of both nations' leaders after
the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista, Farber argues that the
structure of Cuba's economy and politics in the first half of the
twentieth century made the island ripe for radical social and
economic change, and the ascendant Soviet Union was on hand to
provide early assistance. Taking advantage of recently
declassified U.S. and Soviet documents as well as biographical
and narrative literature from Cuba, Farber focuses on three key
years to explain how the Cuban rebellion rapidly evolved from a
multiclass, antidictatorial movement into a full-fledged social
revolution.
Exploring how historical conflicts between U.S. and Cuban
interests colored the reactions of both nations' leaders after
the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista, Farber argues that the
structure of Cuba's economy and politics in the first half of the
twentieth century made the island ripe for radical social and
economic change, and the ascendant Soviet Union was on hand to
provide early assistance. Taking advantage of recently
declassified U.S. and Soviet documents as well as biographical
and narrative literature from Cuba, Farber focuses on three key
years to explain how the Cuban rebellion rapidly evolved from a
multiclass, antidictatorial movement into a full-fledged social
revolution.