THE SUGAR TRAP – CUBAN CULTURAL ECONOMICS IN THE LIGHT OF TRANSFORMATION Beate M.W. Ratter Institute of Geography, University of Mainz, Germany,

Traditions

Spacial distribution of sugar Historische Karte einfügen Ciego de Avila, Gamagüey, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma,

Historical Development of the Cuban Sugar Production

Socialist Revolution Geldschein einfügen

Ernesto Che Guevara, 1963, then Minister of Industry: “The entire economic history of Cuba has demonstrated that no other agricultural activity would give such returns as those yielded by the cultivation of the sugar cane. At the outset of the Revolution many of us were not aware of this basic economic fact,...” (Pollitt 2004, p.323)

Sugar Cane Symbol of Cuba Geldschein mit Che einfügen

Che Guevara cutting sugar cane

Postrevolutionary Sugar Production

Historical Development of the Cuban Sugar Production

New Friends