SOCIAL POLICIES OF CASTRO’S CUBA Education, Health Care and Cuban Culture

EDUCATION Castro’s regime focused heavily on education… - prior to 1959, about 40% of Cubans were illiterate (average educational level was about 3 rd grade) - most wealthy families sent their children to boarding schools (in rural areas the public schools were too spread out for many students to attend) - Nationwide campaign to eradicate illiteracy began in 1960 (“brigades” of teachers) “ Why have we proposed to eradicate illiteracy in only one year? Because the revolution is developing its work as fast as possible and it is pushing forward very fast…One year will be enough…revolutions are capable of doing things like that.” -Fidel Castro “ Why have we proposed to eradicate illiteracy in only one year? Because the revolution is developing its work as fast as possible and it is pushing forward very fast…One year will be enough…revolutions are capable of doing things like that.” -Fidel Castro “Support Literacy! Support your Country!”

EDUCATION The literacy campaign had 2 basic premises: 1. If illiterates are to be found among the people, then so should those who teach literacy 2. Those who know more must teach those who know less The literacy campaign was successful and throughout the 1960s and 1970s, numerous schools were built to ensure that all students, at all levels, had access to a free education. The number of children in the labor force decreased to near zero as students began to attend school regularly. This led to increased enrollment in university-level education and the creation of a highly educated workforce. Cuba continues to have one of the highest literacy rates in the Western Hemisphere (around 97%) Castro (at Che Guevara’s request) named 1961 the “Year of Education”. By the end of the year, the literacy rate had risen to 96%.

EDUCATION  Higher education emphasized technical training and neglected social sciences and humanities – goal was to train professional workers using an ‘industrial model’  De-emphasized any field that would encourage active intellectual criticism of major social, political or economic problems “Fidel, tell us what else we should do!” Literacy Campaign Brigade

HEALTH CARE When Castro came to power, the existing health care system was flawed (primarily in terms of access and equity of care) - Castro claimed that healthcare was a top priority - Problematic when immediately over 50% of Cuba’s doctors emigrated to the US - By 1976, Cuba’s healthcare system was the best in Latin America and accomplishments included: * eradication of many diseases through universal vaccinations * reduction of infant mortality through improved prenatal care * highest life expectancy in Latin America “The goal is to provide public health services for the greatest number of possible persons, institute a program of preventative medicine, and orient the public to the performance of hygienic practices.” -Che Guevara in his healthcare essay, On Revolutionary Medicine “The goal is to provide public health services for the greatest number of possible persons, institute a program of preventative medicine, and orient the public to the performance of hygienic practices.” -Che Guevara in his healthcare essay, On Revolutionary Medicine

HEALTH CARE  Due to the push to offer healthcare to all Cubans, there was a major push to train medical professionals  The supply of physicians began to exceed demand (and their salaries were far lower than in any Latin American country) so many doctor ‘brigades’ were sent to foreign countries  Criticism of the Cuban health care system include the fact that journalists, social scientists frequently cite positive statistics without really looking at how these statistics were created and maintained by state power - abortion rate is high (many claim that women with fetal abnormalities are encouraged to have an abortion in order to maintain the statistics) - black market allows wealthy to receive far better care than average Cuban citizen - poor hospital conditions, patient neglect and lack of basic medical supplies are major concerns

CULTURE The Castro regime encouraged cultural development – arts, literature, film * National Ballet became one of the top dance companies in the world * The Cuban Film Institute was founded following the revolution and oversaw the production of Cuban film. * Film, was seen as "the most powerful and provocative form of artistic expression, and the most direct and widespread vehicle for education and bringing ideas to the public.“

RELIGION After the revolution, the Castro regime restricted religious practices. The followed the traditional anti- religious doctrine of Marxism and officially adopted the policy of promoting atheism.  Religious beliefs were seen as backward, ignorant and superstitious  From % of Catholic priests and ministers left Cuba for the US  Many Cubans hid their beliefs, many parents refused to raise their children as religious because they didn’t want them to face persecution

RELIGION Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cuban government became more relaxed regarding religious practices.  Cuba’s predominant religion is Catholic, though there are a number of African and Afro- Caribbean religions present  As of 2013, the Cuban government recognizes the right of citizens to “practice any religious belief within the framework of respect for the law”