The Cultural Policy of the Cuban Revolution

Dr. Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt 

Among the first manifestos issued by the Fidel Castro-led Cuban revolutionaries were those urging that culture be spread throughout the country. According to Dr. Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt, the concepts expressed by the revolutionaries were that culture: belongs to everyone, is a form of social production, should be detached from the market economy, stimulates economic development, and promotes revolutionary (critical) thinking. Her book, “To Defend the Revolution is to Defend the Culture: The Cultural Policy of the Cuban Revolution” (2015, PM Press), is a comprehensive look at how the Cuban government’s policies related to art, film, music, and literature have played out in the decades since the revolution. Dr. Gordon-Nesbitt’s talk is illustrated by historic photos, Cuban art, and photos of today’s Cuban cultural centers. 

Recorded: November 16, 2015