Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965

The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) were one of the most important mass organizations in revolutionary Cuba. During the 1960s, the CDR developed a slew of actions among the Cuban masses, organizing cultural, political, and economic activities that shaped the revolutionary process...

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Main Author: Juan Carlos Medel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:Latin American Research Review
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1542427824000622/type/journal_article
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author Juan Carlos Medel
author_facet Juan Carlos Medel
author_sort Juan Carlos Medel
collection DOAJ
description The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) were one of the most important mass organizations in revolutionary Cuba. During the 1960s, the CDR developed a slew of actions among the Cuban masses, organizing cultural, political, and economic activities that shaped the revolutionary process from below. Through their work, the CDR gave meaning to their own idea of Cuban socialism. In the context of revolutionary upheaval, they were born as mass organizations to organize political surveillance against counterrevolutionary enemies. But the CDR also deployed productive power that sought to improve the lives of fellow Cubans. Organizing workers to solve local problems helped to reimagine the purpose of labor as a resource for public utility. For moments, the CDR even became the state. This article highlights the crucial role of the CDR members in the revolutionary process and their impact on the everyday lives of Cuban people.
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spelling doaj-art-f39a579736424bce9fc8fa81f1237e7d2024-12-13T11:21:59ZengCambridge University PressLatin American Research Review1542-427811610.1017/lar.2024.62Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965Juan Carlos Medel0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1581-1765Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, ChileThe Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) were one of the most important mass organizations in revolutionary Cuba. During the 1960s, the CDR developed a slew of actions among the Cuban masses, organizing cultural, political, and economic activities that shaped the revolutionary process from below. Through their work, the CDR gave meaning to their own idea of Cuban socialism. In the context of revolutionary upheaval, they were born as mass organizations to organize political surveillance against counterrevolutionary enemies. But the CDR also deployed productive power that sought to improve the lives of fellow Cubans. Organizing workers to solve local problems helped to reimagine the purpose of labor as a resource for public utility. For moments, the CDR even became the state. This article highlights the crucial role of the CDR members in the revolutionary process and their impact on the everyday lives of Cuban people.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1542427824000622/type/journal_articleCuban socialismhegemonypopular organizationsocialismo Cubanohegemoníaorganización popular
spellingShingle Juan Carlos Medel
Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965
Latin American Research Review
Cuban socialism
hegemony
popular organization
socialismo Cubano
hegemonía
organización popular
title Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965
title_full Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965
title_fullStr Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965
title_full_unstemmed Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965
title_short Defending the Revolution through Labor Organization and Spontaneity in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Cuba, 1961–1965
title_sort defending the revolution through labor organization and spontaneity in the committees for the defense of the revolution in cuba 1961 1965
topic Cuban socialism
hegemony
popular organization
socialismo Cubano
hegemonía
organización popular
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1542427824000622/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT juancarlosmedel defendingtherevolutionthroughlabororganizationandspontaneityinthecommitteesforthedefenseoftherevolutionincuba19611965