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Sugar Monoculture Made Cuba Vulnerable
- Cuba’s economy became a monocrop sugar system that concentrated wealth and dependency on foreign markets.
- Monoculture made Cuba vulnerable to price shocks and external control by foreign capital.
Batista’s Rise And Performative Reforms
- Fulgencio Batista rose from sergeant to ruler through a 1933 coup and cultivated a pragmatic, businesslike image.
- His 1940 constitution looked progressive on paper but mainly served U.S. business and gangster interests.
Gangsterismo: State, Mafia, And Tourism
- 'Gangsterismo' fused state power with American mob and corporate investment to build Havana as a vice-tourist hub.
- This alliance enriched elites while deepening popular resentment and social inequality.