Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro (August 13, 1926 – ) Cuban revolutionary and President of Cuba. Castro led Cuba in a Communist revolution which led to a profound change in the economic and political fortunes of the country. Castro reorganised the economy on Marxist-Lennist principles. He is lauded by many for promoting education, social values, egalitarianism and standing up to ‘US imperialism’. He is also criticised by many for the suppression of dissent, lack of democracy and a worsening economy, which has led many Cubans to flee the country.

Early life Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro was born 13 August, 1925, in Birán, Oriente Province. He was the son of a wealthy farmer and his mistress. After a rebellious, though non-political childhood, in 1945, he went to study law at the University of Havana. He became interested in politics and critical of the current Cuban government. At university he joined the egalitarian, left-leaning – Party of the Cuban People, which opposed the ruling government and was committed to democracy and open government. After university, he travelled throughout Latin-America, participating in rebellions in the Dominican Republic and Colombia. His travels and political experiences pushed him further towards Marxist-Lennist thought and he came to support the idea of a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ as envisaged by Marx.

“I am a Marxist-Leninist, and I will be a Marxist-Leninist until the last days of my life.”

– Fidel Castro (2 December, 1961)

Castrol also later adapted Marx’s saying to say

“We have a theoretical concept of the Revolution which is a dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters.”

As quoted in With Fidel : A Portrait of Castro and Cuba (1976)

Insurrection of 1953

In 1953, he led an attempt to overthrow Fulgencio Batista’s right-wing military junta. But, the attack on Moncada Barracks failed, and Castro was jailed for a year for his participation. His trial proved a semi-propaganda coup for Castro as he gave a four hour speech ‘History will absolve me’ – which spoke against the injustice of Batista’s regime.

More and source: http://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/fidel-castro-biography.html