1 Batista and corruption
-One thing that greatly helped Castro come to power was the corrupted rule of Batista. The majority of Cubans opposed his policies and eventually led to Castro's overtaking.
2 Poverty
-Under Batista's rule, alot of Cuba was in poverty. Castro made promises in speeches saying he would fix this
Castro was able to maintain his rule by listening to the public and maintaining basic needs
Fidel Castro acheived Totalitarian rule to a great extent. This is most obvious when looking at how long he was in power. He was in power for over 50 years!
Methods used by Castro to achieve power:
- The first method used by Castro was force. For example, his revolution. He used means of force to take over the ruling party. he would also appoint loyal members of the party to higher positions in the government. The third method and most obvious for a healthy rule was keeping the public support.
Left or Rightist?
Castro was very much a leftist. Most of his policies and ideals fall under the left side of the spectrum much like socialism and marxism (two very leftist government types).
Ideology:
Pretty much a socialist. He tried to do everything for the good of everyone. this is how he stayed in power for so long. The majority of people accepted him
How did Castro treat opposition?
Well.. his policies didnt allow for opposition so there really was none. the few opposition that did reach the ears of Castro were completely disregarded and the people who spoke out against him were not tolerated.
Political Policies Castro Used to Maintain Power:
Alliance with USSR
-Castro decided to ally with the USSR (Khrushchev) and form trade agreements. This alliance turned out to be a great decision for Castro as it helped the economy and created more defenses.
Castro and his control of education
-Castro completely controled every aspect of the educational system. the only things that were taught in school were supplied by the government. Castro saw the youth as the future. What they were taught would effect how they think in the future and controlling their education would ensure they would grow up in support of Castro's ideals.
