Contents

Introduction
1. Dynamics of the Cuban Revolution: Where Now?
1. Introduction
2. Some History
3. Batista Takes Power: the 1933 Coup
4. Batista Returns: the 1952 Coup
5. Revolutionary Struggle Against Batista
6. Revolutionary struggle: From Dual Power to a Workers’ and Peasants’ Government
7. Revolutionary Struggle, Cuba Becomes a Workers’ State
8. Bay of Pigs and the Rise of the Cuban Communist Party
9. The ‘Grey Years’ – Restructuring Cuba in the Russian Image
10. Cuba and Africa
11. The Fall of the USSR, Cuba and the World Market
12. The Sixth and Seventh Party Congresses, Obama and Trump
13. Bureaucracy and corruption: what way forward for Cuba?
14. The Question of Revolutionary Leadership in Cuba Today
15. Postscript

2. Nicaragua: A country that did not finish its revolution
1. Introduction
2. Some History
3. Founding, Development and Differences within the FSLN
4. Revolution: The FSLN comes to Power
5. The Junta of National Reconstruction (July-December 1979)
6. How FSLN Gained and Retained Leadership of the Revolution
7. A Nicaraguan Workers’ and Peasants’ Government?
8. Austerity, the Contra War and the National Question
9. The 4 November, 1984, Election – a Reformist Orientation
10. Revolution Under Siege (1985)
11. The Contra War, the Economy and the Arias Plan (1986-87)
12. Women, Workers, and Land Reform (1987-89)
13. Demobilisation, Economic Collapse and the 1990 Election
14. Conclusions: What Could Have Been Done?
15. Postscript

3. Venezuela: The Almost Revolution
1. Introduction
2. Some History
3. Land Reform, Guerrilla Warfare
4. The Caracazo, Chávez and the 1998 Presidential Election
5. The ‘Mega-Election’ of 30 July, 2000, and the Forty-Nine Enabling Laws
6. The Attempted Coup of April 2002
7. The Bosses Lock-out, PDVSA and Worker’s Control in Action
8. The Founding of the National Workers’ Union, Co-operatives and the Recall Referendum
9. ‘Recovered’ Companies (Empresas Recuperadas)
10. Socialism for the Twenty-First Century (February 2005)
11. Launch of PSUV and the Constitutional Referendum
12. The PSUV Founding Congress (January 2008)
13. Nationalisation of Steel (SIDOR) and Workers’ Control
14. The Financial Crash of 2008
15. Offensive Against Landlords and Speculators
16. Chávez’ Death, and the Election of Maduro
17. The Opposition Offensive and Electoral Gains
18. The Recall Referendum and the Constituent Assembly
19. The ‘Advance’ of the Counter-Revolution
20. Presidential Elections and Economic Crises