Cuban Culture Transition 1960s-1970s

Cuban Culture Transition 1960s-1970s: Option B

Following the fall of Batista's regime in 1959, and the rise of Fidel Castro ushered in a

new age in Cuban history. The next chapter of Cuba would fall under revolutionary changes under Castro’s new regime. The Cuban people wanted change, and in the 1960’s, much progress was being made toward the goal of helping the people through policies. The main driving force of the revolution and the regime changes centered around the social changes in Cuba. The primary purpose of the Cuban government was to have an independent model that can open Cuba to trade and power on the global scale. Many factors that influenced Cuba’s social policy included the introduction of the formation of the Cuban Communist Party, The Central Organization of Cuba’s Trade unions and the Federation of Cuban Women.

After the 1959 revolution, the new government and its supporters in the Cuban trade unions established tight control over the unions and independent working class activities. Demands for higher wages and economic benefits were against the progressive new government. The primary goal of the new government was to provide unity between the workers, union leadership and the employer. An end goal of the new government was to have no unemployment, and the most effective way was to implement tighter worker conditions. This was a compromise employees had to make; basically, workers had to give up union benefits and wage increases in

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favor of just keeping their jobs in general. The old government tried to implement this policy, but the new government was the ones who made this policy a reality.

Educating the Cuban workers was a driving force to make sure they stay loyal to the new regime. For socialism to work, it needs ironclad unity to be the backbone or else it may fail. With new radical changes being implemented by the government, the Cuban people needed to be reminded away from old mentalities. Education was mainly served by the party and union members so that they understand the new changes made in the government and why it is in the best interest of the Cuban people. The education also prevented an anti-administration stance, which in a way was propaganda that steered patriotism. Under the new regime change, trade unions were not independent of one another like in the old government. Worker-Union-Management was one of the most critical parts of the post-revolution work life as their jobs were dependent on the person above them. This led the union-worker relationship on an upward spiral. Trade unions did eventually fade away in the late 1960’s.

Unlike the CTC, the Federation of Cuban Women was pretty much free of any conflicts. , and it gave women the opportunity to form a life outside their home. Women were the driving force during the revolution as most women felt they did not enough rights to justify the old government. Most women who were previous maids and servants were now graduating from trade schools that provided the skills to pursue different higher paying careers. Most predominant industry women were being hired was the clothing industry as many women went to school to learn to be a seamstress.

During the second half of the 1960’s, there was an emphasis on moral incentives, and a reduction of union cadres contributed to the demise of the labor movement. Vanguardism, which

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is a strategy under the Marxist movement in which the working class would form organizations to draw other members of the working class toward revolutionary politics took over the trade union movement. Unions as mass organizations were the past in many Cuban’s eyes. The Congress of 1966 did not provide a framework for the role of unions under socialism. Defense of workers rights and workers input on factory administration were not in the agenda. After 1966, local union elections were suspended even though CTC laws required them every two years. The process of the grievance was eliminated. The FMC lost its factory in favor of the interests of women workers.

After the revolution in Cuba took place, massive social changes came to prostitution industry as well. The prostitution industry is one of the prominent employment routes for many young women as it provided a steady source of income. This industry showed the lack of opportunities women had in old Cuba. The new government provided oversight and regulation over brothels that gave the women more rights. The government made sure that the health of the workers in the brothels was a top concern. This step proved that the Cuban government was starting to prioritize the health of its citizens from the threats of STDs and other harmful diseases. In Chomsky’s article, he argues that there was ample opportunity for prostitutes to attend rehabilitation schools that trained women to pursue careers in secretarial and seamstress work.