To What Extent Was American Influence the Reason for the Cuban Revolution

Question: To what extent was American influence the reason for the Cuban Revolution.

The 1898 Spanish-America War marked the beginning of America's direct control over Cuba. During this time America introduced various western vices, made little attempt to improve the terrible living conditions for the majority of Cuban's, which had festered during the Spanish rule in Cuba and siphoned all of Cuba's wealth. This western influence boiled unrest in Cuba and lasted until the 1960's when Fidel Castro overthrew the Batista government. However, the Cuban revolution wasn't only a product of American influence as Batista played a key role.

America wasted no time in implementing certain measures to increase its wealth and to maintain its influence in Cuba. After the signing of the Paris Treaty in 1899 the US had already begun cutting tariffs on US goods entering Cuba but didn't grant the same rights to Cuban goods entering the US. This was the start of US interests being valued higher over those of Cuba's, as domestic Cuban industries were not protected from foreign competition. Thus, since there was a reduction in demand for Cuban made goods, unemployment climbed impacting all Cuban industries. This led to a reduction in the standard of living for most Cuban's, which bred crime and disease throughout the island. It was this rampant unemployment, destitute living standards and valued US imperialism, which angered Castro and ensured him a revolution was necessary.

America's domination and influence over the Cuban economy continued and increased until the instatement of Castro's revolutionary government. In 1905 US citizens occupied nearly 10% of Cuba's total land area and controlled 80% of Cuba's ore exports. However by the 1950's these figures had increased dramatically as the US controlled 80% of Cuban utilities, 90% of Cuban mines and 100% of the countries oil refineries. America had also gotten hold of Cuba's sugar industry owning 40% of it, thus reaping most of the wealth produced by this prosperous sector. Also, America's ownership of such industries led to the exploitation of workers, as women were forced to work long hours in the sugar or citrus companies. Hence, America's control over the Cuban economy and ownership of nearly all the land, which should have been prohibited by the Foraker amendment, caused an extreme hierarchical social structure as the living standards of ordinary Cuban's plummeted below the world poverty line. Whilst government officials, especially those of the Batista regime, became richer and richer the lower class struggled to rid themselves of intestinal parasites and tuberculosis with their annual income per person of only $91.25. Thus, it was this gross favoritism to US companies and huge income disparities, which drove Castro's revolution as he nationalized and expropriated all the US, owned