Castro’s Methods to Gain Power (1947–1959)

1. Persuasion and Coercion

Persuasion

  • 1947: Joined the Ortodoxo Party, using anti-corruption and nationalist rhetoric to attract urban middle-class supporters.

  • 1953 (July 26): After the failed Moncada Barracks attack, Castro used his trial speech “==History Will Absolve Me==” to persuade the public that he fought for national justice. He outlined the ==Five Revolutionary Laws==:

    1. Return power to the people by reinstating the constitution of 1940.

    2. Land rights for all those holding (or squatting on) less than 67 hectares (165 acres).

    3. Workers in large industries and mines to have 30 per cent share of profits.

    4. Sugar planters to have 55 per cent share of the profits from their production.

    5. Action to stop corruption – property confiscated from those found guilty of fraud would be spent on workers’ pensions, hospitals, asylums and charities.

  • Impact: Created moral legitimacy. Presented himself as the defender of the 1940 Constitution and the nation.

Coercion

  • 1957–1958: Rebel courts in the ==Sierra Maestra== punished informants, thieves, and traitors.

  • Use of summary executions (e.g., Eutimio Guerra, 1957) signaled discipline inside rebel ranks.

  • Coercion ensured internal unity and deterred betrayal.

Castro fused persuasion with selective coercion. Persuasion built support; coercion enforced discipline.

2. Role of Leaders

  • Castro’s personal leadership was central.

  • 1956 (Dec 2): Returned on the Granma with 82 men. His survival after the initial disaster (only 12 escaped) strengthened the myth of destiny.

  • 1957–1958: Became the uncontested leader in the Sierra. He settled disputes, negotiated alliances (e.g., ==Pact of Caracas==, 19581), and kept unity across factions.

His charisma, discipline, and ability to merge nationalism and social justice created a cohesive movement.

3. Ideology

  • Populist nationalism: Defense of the 1940 Constitution and national dignity.

  • Social justice: Five Revolutionary Laws and promise to empower workers and peasants.

  • Anti-imperialism: Framed U.S. influence as the source of Cuba’s humiliation.

  • 1954–1955: While in exile in Mexico, Castro shaped the ideology of the 26th of July Movement:

    • Not Marxist at this stage.

    • Focus on moral renewal and national sovereignty.

  • 1958: “==Total war against tyranny==” speech unified ideology around overthrow of Batista.

Castro’s ideology provided a moral frame that legitimized armed struggle.

4. Use of Force

  • 1953 (July 26): Attacked Moncada Barracks in Santiago with around 135 rebels. The attack failed, but it marked the start of armed struggle.

  • 1956–1958: Guerrilla warfare in the Sierra Maestra. Tactics included ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, and sabotage of railways, highways, and sugar mills.

  • 1958 (Aug–Dec): The Offensive and the Battle of Santa Clara, led by Guevara, cut off supplies and morale.

  • Batista’s army of 30,000 failed to crush a rebel force that never exceeded 3,000 active fighters.

Small-scale but disciplined force overcame a larger but corrupt state army.

5. Propaganda

  • 1957 (Feb): Herbert Matthews interview in The New York Times. Castro appeared alive, strong, and democratic. It shaped U.S. and Cuban opinion.

  • 1957–1958: Radio Rebelde, created by Guevara and Castro, broadcast speeches, victories, and political messages.

  • Castro used boycotts, sabotage, and public trials to attract attention and portray the regime as morally bankrupt.

  • 1958: Publicized Batista’s torture, corruption, and links to the U.S. mafia to delegitimize the regime.

Evidence-driven impact
Propaganda turned Castro’s small guerrilla group into a national symbol of hope.

Propaganda expanded the rebels’ influence far beyond their military strength.

Common Analysis Across All Methods

Castro’s success rested on three interactions:

  1. Legitimacy creation: “History Will Absolve Me” plus the Five Revolutionary Laws gave him moral authority.

  2. Myth-making: Survival after Moncada, prison, Granma landing, and Sierra campaigns created a legend of inevitability.

  3. State weakness: Batista’s corruption, brutality, and loss of U.S. support made Castro’s methods more effective.

Castro combined persuasion, coercion, force, ideology, and propaganda into a single coherent strategy.
This integration explains why he rose from leading a failed attack in 1953 to entering Havana triumphantly in January 1959.

Footnotes

  1. a 1958 pledge by various Cuban revolutionaries to end the Batista dictatorship and restore democracy to Cuba↩︎