Patriots and Traitors in Revolutionary Cuba: 1961-1981

During the postrevolutionary period in Cuba, authorities established a binary society with the slogan "patria o muerte," challenging the all-or-nothing approach. Protests have adopted the theme song "patria y vida," a collaboration by exiles, which has been banned in Cuba. Lillian Guerra explores the rise of a Soviet-advised Communist culture and the creation of a multidimensional system of state security, examining Cuban citizens' complicity with authoritarianism, leaders' exploitation of anti-imperialist nationalism, and the duality of existence between support and betrayal of a nation and ideology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 508 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press

After the revolution, Cuban authorities aimed to create a binary society, dividing citizens into two categories: patriots or traitors. This strict dichotomy was reflected in the famous slogan "patria o muerte" (fatherland or death). However, recent protests have adopted the theme song "patria y vida" (fatherland and life), a collaboration by exiles that, predictably, has been banned in Cuba itself. In her book "The Rise of a Soviet-Advised Communist Culture in Cuba," Lillian Guerra delves into the emergence of a Soviet-influenced Communist culture under the control of state institutions. This system entwined itself into daily life, permeating individual consciousness and reinforcing these binary divisions. Despite the outward display of patriotism, the lived experiences of many Cubans fell somewhere in between. Guerra explores these gray areas, examining the complicity of citizens with authoritarianism, the exploitation of genuine anti-imperialist nationalism by leaders, and the complex duality of existence that involves both support and betrayal of a nation and an ideology.

After the revolution, Cuban authorities aimed to create a binary society, dividing citizens into two categories: patriots or traitors. This strict dichotomy was reflected in the famous slogan "patria o muerte" (fatherland or death). However, recent protests have adopted the theme song "patria y vida" (fatherland and life), a collaboration by exiles that, predictably, has been banned in Cuba itself. In her book "The Rise of a Soviet-Advised Communist Culture in Cuba," Lillian Guerra delves into the emergence of a Soviet-influenced Communist culture under the control of state institutions. This system entwined itself into daily life, permeating individual consciousness and reinforcing these binary divisions. Despite the outward display of patriotism, the lived experiences of many Cubans fell somewhere in between. Guerra explores these gray areas, examining the complicity of citizens with authoritarianism, the exploitation of genuine anti-imperialist nationalism by leaders, and the complex duality of existence that involves both support and betrayal of a nation and an ideology.

Weight: 780g
Dimension: 160 x 238 x 44 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780822947738