Question

name: juan arizola per. date
authoritarian states: castro’s consolidation and maintenance of power (1959–1962)
activity 1: “rebuilding a nation” prioritization task
using pages 80–82, in the authoritarian states pack identify five major actions castro took in early 1959 to reshape cuba. then complete the ranking and justification tasks below.

1. identify five major actions castro took to reconstruct cuba after 1959:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

1. rank the five actions from most to least important for consolidation:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Explanation:

To solve this, we refer to historical records of Castro's rule post - 1959. Five major actions are:

1. Land Reform: Castro's government nationalized large estates and redistributed land to peasants. This was a key economic and social reform to gain rural support.
2. Nationalization of Industries: Foreign - owned businesses (especially US - owned) like sugar mills and refineries were nationalized. This helped in taking control of the economy and reducing foreign influence.
3. Establishment of Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs): These were set up to monitor the population, identify counter - revolutionaries, and promote revolutionary ideology, helping in consolidating political control.
4. Educational Reforms: A massive literacy campaign was launched. It aimed to reduce illiteracy, gain popular support, and indoctrinate the population with revolutionary ideas.
5. Agrarian Reform Law Implementation: Along with land reform, laws were put in place to regulate agricultural production, ensure food security, and restructure the rural economy.

For ranking (from most to least important for consolidation):

1. Land Reform: It directly addressed the long - standing issue of land inequality in Cuba, won the support of the large peasant population, and was a cornerstone of economic and social restructuring.
2. Nationalization of Industries: Gaining control of the economy (especially the vital sugar industry) reduced foreign (US) economic influence and provided resources for the new government, crucial for political stability.
3. CDRs: These were essential for political surveillance and control, helping to eliminate opposition and maintain ideological purity, a key for authoritarian consolidation.
4. Educational Reforms: The literacy campaign improved the population's skills, but its immediate impact on consolidation was less than the economic and political control measures. However, it was important for long - term ideological control.
5. Agrarian Reform Law Implementation: While related to land reform, the initial land redistribution (action 1) had a more immediate and impactful effect on the population and the economy. The law implementation was a follow - up to solidify the land reform.

Answer:

1. Identify five major actions:

1. Land Reform (redistribution of large estates to peasants)
2. Nationalization of US - owned and other foreign industries (like sugar mills)
3. Establishment of Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs)
4. Launch of a national literacy campaign (educational reforms)
5. Implementation of the Agrarian Reform Law (regulating agricultural production)

2. Rank from MOST to LEAST important:

1. Land Reform
2. Nationalization of Industries
3. Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs)
4. Educational Reforms (Literacy Campaign)
5. Agrarian Reform Law Implementation