Dan Nelson

Professor Marcia Hughes

English 1201

19 January 2019

Research Proposal: The Lasting Impacts of the Cuban Revolution After 60 Years

The topic I have chosen for my research project is the lasting impacts of the Cuban

Revolution, as the 60th anniversary was several weeks ago. I will specifically be focusing on the

effectiveness and implementation of social programs (medical, literacy etc). The process which

led me to this research subject is the continued labor of historical and political study I have been

conducting on my own for the last 4 to 5 years. I am an avid collector of books and currently

have 7 on this subject that I haven’t had the chance to dive into fully yet, so the opportunity to

use them to continue to my studies seems logical. The interest I have in the Cuban Revolution

comes from a larger interest in the socialist liberation movements of 20th century and my own

Marxist anti-imperialist/anti-colonial politics.

My introduction to both The Cuban Revolution and Marxism occurred sometime in 2015.

I was introduced to Marxism by a friend, who provided not only a good theoretical basis for my

knowledge but also introduced me to a large cadre of other activists, academics and working-

class Marxists locally and internationally via social media. The appeal of Marxism to me at the

time was a frustration with politics-as-usual: endless wars abroad pushing U.S. ruling class

interests, continual systemic oppression of vulnerable communities at home, increased strife for

poor working people like myself, and the spontaneous nature/lack of cohesion in national

activism, failing to get anything substantial accomplished. Marxism seemed to provide a proper
framework and analysis with which to understand and combat the oppressive conditions faced by

millions of people. Revolutions in the 20th century gave it precedent and life beyond theory,

among them Cuba’s Revolution in 1959, led by Fidel Castro.

In 2018 I began my first forays into activist work, working with the Party for Socialism

and Liberation (PSL) and meeting activists who not only understood Cuba, but had forged

relationships with its leaders. It was no longer an abstract bit of information in a book, it was a

living experience. What had been accomplished? What was life like in Cuba? Where had the

Revolution succeeded, and where had it erred? I have since studied some history and have a

vague knowledge, but am embarking on this research project to increase my understanding and

through my research help others to as well.

My feelings on the topic are passionate and may seem biased (a fair assessment

based on the background of my interest in the subject). It is also my feeling that studying this

topic is important and relevant, especially given the unique period in their history the Cuban

people have reached since 1959. I think objective research on this topic on my part, despite my

biases, will be an excellent exercise in my chosen discipline of history. I believe The Cuban

Revolution has accomplished much in these 60 years since it’s victory in the realm of social and

economic equality. Analyses of alternative and sometimes demonized social orders are important

work, not just for the politically progressive, but for historians and political scientists as well. My

current knowledge of the subject covers the early period, from the Revolutionary War with the

Batista dictatorship to the first decade of the Revolution. Beyond that I am aware of several

social programs, health statistics, biographical information about key figures etc. The time period

from the 1970’s until the last several years are unknown to me, and there is much to learn.
 I intend to hone my skills as a historian with this research and hope to gain a fuller

understanding of not only the history of Cuba post 1959, but a clearer picture of the successes

and failures of the Revolution, and the way in which their policies have been implemented. The

focus of my research project will be in several key areas, taking to form of several questions.

What are several key domestic social policies of the Revolutionary government, and how

successfully have they been implemented? What challenges has the government faced in

implementing these goals. And lastly: where is Cuba headed today? All of these research

questions will be addressed within the context of Cuban and international history. I intend to use

not only utilize the books on my bookshelf, but the databases available to me through Sinclair

and possibly supplement with anecdotal references from individuals I’m associated with.