Cuba. This island is known everywhere in the world. Everybody knows such names as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Also Cuba is associated with Caribbean crisis, which had frightened both the U.S.A. and USSR. That's all that common person knows about this land and nation famous for specific culture and interesting history (especially of the 20th century). Cuba has always been a region of American interests in the Caribbean Sea and its 45-year resistance against capitalism (in fact - American politics) impresses everyone, even person hostile to Cuban regime. That's why before having a closer look on the gains of Cuban revolution it's important to give the general characteristics of Cuba in the politics of the modern world. It's important to explore the reasons of Cuban revolution as well in order to better understand it's purposes and the results in economical and social sphere that were achieved by Castro's government after the revolution was over. In this question it's also important to pay attention to the relations of Cuba with foreign countries and with the USA particularly. Cuban influence on worlds politics during the Cold War and nowadays is important and worth paying attention to. Cuba is still one of the last Communist countries of the world.

The revolution of 1958 had a lot of problems to be solved by the main were social and economical. The situation of Cuba in 1950ies was not pretty much different from any of the Latin America states, but still the poverty level was huge. Cuba was totally dependent upon foreign capitals and was an agricultural supplier of the USA. Before answering the question about the changes in political, economical and social sphere which were achieved after revolution it's important to identify the main reasons which led to the revolution and which directed the future destiny of the country. Many years have past, Communism had a great success but it died after Soviet Union collapsed. Now China and Vietnam try to democratize and capitalize own economics. Only Cuba and North Korea are still devoted to Communism. But even there we can find some ideas of capitalism. The majority of Socialistic revolutions (older and younger that Cuban) are history already. Some scientists admit that Cuban revolution took place in the most complicated situation and practically had no chance to come true. But Cubans proved their moral strength and they still succeed protecting the Revolution. Cuban revolution created the first Socialistic state in this part of Earth. Now I'll try to find out why Cuban Revolution of 1958 was inevitable. Also it is very interesting and worth studying that Cuba was not the most developed country of Latin America and many people explain the Revolution with Fidels charisma, Russian success and American miscalculations. As historian Jules Benjamin in his book "The United States and Cuba" wrote, United States and Cuba had always very uneasy relations. Cuba had a very tragic history before the middle of the 20th century. Spanish and later - American influence was not good for this island nation. We cannot name American influence of that time democratic because United States and owners of different companies considered Cuba as a colony. This influenced future revolution a lot. Let us analyze Cuban economics and American influence on this island country. The basic sphere of pre-Revolutionary Cuban economics, as all historians say including Marifeli Perez-Stable in the book "The Cuban Revolution", was producing sugar for export to the United States. 25% of best lands, 36 big and well-equipped sugar plants belonged to United Fruit and other American corporations. They produced 42% of sugar. Another 58% were produceв by Cubans but were also controlled by Americans. But sugar was not the only sphere of American monopolies interests. They controlled 23% of industry, 90% of electrical and telephone infrastructure, 50% of railways. For example telephone and telegraph belonged to the filial of ATT. Electricity and lands in some provinces belonged to Cuban American Sugar Company. These two companies were connected through Morgan bank group and received support from Department of State and CIA. National Cuban capitalists were associated with American capital and had interests both in Cuba and Miami. Different American companies wished to have a filial on this island involving some part of Cuban capital. So, the whole infrastructure of the island, industry and other spheres of national economics were leaded by the United States. Cuban historian Tablada admitted that in 1950-ies Cuba had developed road infrastructure, developed telephone, telegraph, television and radio.

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Cubans didn't like that and wanted to rule themselves in their country and work only for their native land. The majority of Cuban population was peasants and the main reason according to this fact was shortage of land. Local landowners and American corporations had bought state and private lands in the beginning of 20th century for very low prices, so the majority of population was left with no land. Some of them had to become workers there; some captured state land in the mountains that were very bad to plant anything on. People who were considered peasants had neither equipment nor electricity. They didn't have any schools and hospitals, lived in terrible poverty. Any private owner of land could loose his land if some coffee company loved his land in the mountains. Such "owners" were considered "independent". Other peasants didn't have even such "independence". According to the contract concluded with sugar or tobacco company peasant had to pay rent payment, sell all goods only to this company and take different credits. Monopolies bought their production for an extremely low prices and this was making peasants and their families poor.