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Dynamics of the Cuban Revolution: A Marxist Appreciation
How did the Cuban Revolution occur? Why does it represent an “unbearable challenge” to U.S. imperialism? What political obstacles has it overcome? Written as the revolution advanced from its earliest days. Glossary, index.
517 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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November 9, 2025
Joseph Hansen (1910–1979) joined the communist movement in 1934 and was a secretary to the exiled Leon Trotsky in Mexico from 1937 to 1940. He was a life-long leader of the Socialist Workers Party. This is a collection of his essays on the Cuban Revolution that he put together in 1978, as Cuba's role in the world--especially in Africa--was growing.
His view was that Cuba had a genuine socialist revolution, not one greatly marred by Stalinist influence. That remains the view of his party today. And that is why the US imperialists hate it so much, while they were always able to reach accommodations with Stalinist regimes. And it is why Cuba outlasted the Soviet Union, and has remained a workers state, while China has gradually become capitalist without losing its Stalinist bureaucracy. The state plays a huge
role in directing capitalist production.
Along with this book I would suggest reading Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro by Fidel Castro which includes material on speeches discussed in the book; on the Escalante Affair and on the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, as well as other speeches that give background to the events Hansen writes about.
Hansen is also co-author of the important book, Cosmetics, Fashion, and the Exploitation of Women and other works.
His view was that Cuba had a genuine socialist revolution, not one greatly marred by Stalinist influence. That remains the view of his party today. And that is why the US imperialists hate it so much, while they were always able to reach accommodations with Stalinist regimes. And it is why Cuba outlasted the Soviet Union, and has remained a workers state, while China has gradually become capitalist without losing its Stalinist bureaucracy. The state plays a huge
role in directing capitalist production.
Along with this book I would suggest reading Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro by Fidel Castro which includes material on speeches discussed in the book; on the Escalante Affair and on the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, as well as other speeches that give background to the events Hansen writes about.
Hansen is also co-author of the important book, Cosmetics, Fashion, and the Exploitation of Women and other works.
July 27, 2023
Acknowledges the horrors and depths Stalinism (yay). Defintiely evaded all Maoist atrocities by only mentioning success of theories and examples of mismanagement (boo). Still a book about Cuba.
The very coherent and ecstatic depiction of revolution in Cuba was a soaring success. If only it’s promise had been fulfilled.
This was a great example of the revisionist Marxist project that uplifts the work of Trotsky and dusts it off to show many of the ignored truths that resided in his work. He did have a lot of fantastic ideas, and he holds an often ignored designation: he was a classic leftist thinker who does not have a genocide to his name. This gives his ideas a certain built in hopefulness, as a promise for a BETTER socialism.
NO DOGMATISM! NO STATE OPPRESSION!
The history of Cuba is one which sees the people continuously fight to liberate themselves (multiple times succeeding) only to subsequently be decimated by outside oppressors and those they posit in power.
Much of the writing about the post revolutionary politics majorly caters to a utopian view of the conditions, bolstered mainly by CRAZY approval ratings that stand up to historical fact.
There is a great power in reading historical theory, changing your mind in how it frames major developments and judges past groupings.
FASCINATING illusions to the US revolution and subsequent revolutionary moments of US history! Especially the one part where John brown was discussed, and how he impacted the respective movement against oppression that was fighting US slavery.
Pursuing true liberation of the people
SO MUCH good writing on the devastation of colonial influence and the covert efforts to destroy liberatory movements across the world.
Trotskyisms influence among marxists
It suffers from the constant symptom of leftist thought, which bloviates the impact of certain movements and collectives, whereas others not on the left are ignored.
If you are looking for a constructive view of Castro as a thinker and political mover, you will not find it here. I can’t help but feel left rather lacking in my knowledge of where everything went wrong.
The very coherent and ecstatic depiction of revolution in Cuba was a soaring success. If only it’s promise had been fulfilled.
This was a great example of the revisionist Marxist project that uplifts the work of Trotsky and dusts it off to show many of the ignored truths that resided in his work. He did have a lot of fantastic ideas, and he holds an often ignored designation: he was a classic leftist thinker who does not have a genocide to his name. This gives his ideas a certain built in hopefulness, as a promise for a BETTER socialism.
NO DOGMATISM! NO STATE OPPRESSION!
The history of Cuba is one which sees the people continuously fight to liberate themselves (multiple times succeeding) only to subsequently be decimated by outside oppressors and those they posit in power.
Much of the writing about the post revolutionary politics majorly caters to a utopian view of the conditions, bolstered mainly by CRAZY approval ratings that stand up to historical fact.
There is a great power in reading historical theory, changing your mind in how it frames major developments and judges past groupings.
FASCINATING illusions to the US revolution and subsequent revolutionary moments of US history! Especially the one part where John brown was discussed, and how he impacted the respective movement against oppression that was fighting US slavery.
Pursuing true liberation of the people
SO MUCH good writing on the devastation of colonial influence and the covert efforts to destroy liberatory movements across the world.
Trotskyisms influence among marxists
It suffers from the constant symptom of leftist thought, which bloviates the impact of certain movements and collectives, whereas others not on the left are ignored.
If you are looking for a constructive view of Castro as a thinker and political mover, you will not find it here. I can’t help but feel left rather lacking in my knowledge of where everything went wrong.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews