Early last year, as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century steps down from power. Many wonder about the legacy a person of the stature of Fidel Castro leaves behind. On the 19th of February 2008, Fidel Castro announced that after 49 years in power in Cuba, he would no longer continue as President. This decision was met with mixed reactions throughout the world as there were people who both rejoiced and mourned this decision by Fidel. Whether one morns or celebrates Castro’s stepping down from power depends upon ones politics, interpretations of history, and ultimately, ones opinions. What I am interested in is discussing what I believe the legacy of Fidel Castro should be as we look back upon the life and leadership of one of the most dominant and intriguing figures of the 20th century.

On January 1st, 1959, Fidel Castro and his supporters successfully overthrew the corrupt, oppressive, US backed Batista regime. In coming to power, Fidel promised the Cuban people that the Cuban government would act in the best interests of the people and not act according to the will of foreign countries and business. This was met with cheers of joy and hope because prior to Castro, the corrupt Batista regime allowed foreign (primarily US) companies, both legitimate and illegitimate, to profit off the backs of the Cuban people. They shamelessly exploited the Cuban people and their resources and it was this that led Fidel to in 1953 take up arms against the government. Fidel vowed to overthrow Batista and install a government that would represent the will of the millions of peasants living in abject poverty working almost as slaves on the sugar and tobacco plantations for rich land lords and US companies.

After successfully overthrowing Batista, the Cubans and Americans who profited from the Batista regime fled Cuba and went primarily to the United States, in particular, Florida. After attempts to forge economic ties with the US government, and repeated rejections, Castro decided that communism would be the best form of government for the Cuban people. He nationalized all national resources and certain private enterprises and turned fully embraced communism as a form of government in an attempt to create a better distribution of wealth for all Cubans. This infuriated the Americans and they immediately imposed sanctions on Cuba and strove to demonize Castro and his government to their people and the world.

Throughout the 20th century, Fidel Castro has been a symbol of defiance to the Americans and their foreign policy. He has also been known as a great survivor as the CIA has tried over 600 times to assassinate him in an attempt to remove this leader who defies American power and dictatorship. By setting up a communist power just 90 miles from the US coast, that is un-intimidated by the US, Castro has in effect made a fool out of the world’s most powerful superpower. After all of America’s exploits and interventions in the world throughout the Cold War, Castro has remained alive and well. The strength of his will and his powerful belief in himself has been enough to inspire Cubans and oppressed people throughout the world to take up arms against capitalist imperialism.

So the question still remains how are we to remember the life and deeds of Fidel Castro? This all depends on who you talk to and what you read but for me, the legacy of Castro a good one. Castro to me signifies defiance of injustice in the face of insurmountable odds. In the opening stages of his revolution, with barely 90 men, Castro and Che Guevara fought the Batista government, which controlled an army of 50,000 troops and had the backing of the mighty US government, for the freedom of Cuba. Although the odds were against him and failure seemed imminent, Castro won. In Cuba, he introduced a wonderful education and health program that surpasses many in the developed world in its potency and effectiveness. Although there is still significant poverty and hardship in Cuba, much of this is not the fault of Cuba but the fault of US economic sanctions on Cuba that have been in effect since the early sixties. In their attempt to discredit and depose Castro, the US has instead been the direct cause for the sufferings of many Cubans.

But through it all, Castro has stayed strong and supported Che on his revolutions, leaders like President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola and President Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela in their attempts to free their people from the oppression. Though this may be controversial, Castro has at least backed leaders who represent the collective will of their people than the Americans who have backed leaders who represent the collective will of American foreign policy/business.

So when we remember Fidel Castro, let us remember him as a leader who defied a powerful empire and brought to Cuba freedom from American imperialism. Fidel Castro always sympathized with countries around the world that were being denied their freedom and wasn’t afraid to help them with arms, political support, and diplomatic help. Castro helped the MPLA and SWAPO fight against Apartheid South African and UNITA forces in Angola and was critical to our victory. He denounced US action in the DRC in terms of their support for a ruthless dictator who did not speak for the people. He did his best to help Che Guevara in his quest for the freeing of oppressed people all over the world. So with this, remember Castro. Indeed a dictator, but also a man who stood for what he believed in and was not afraid to put his money where his mouth was.