ABSTRACT
The transformation of Cuba’s political and economic systems has been accompanied by profound changes in Cuban society. Extensive and arbitrary reforms have reordered Cuba’s pre-1959 social structure and introduced a level of state involvement in national affairs unprecedented in pre-1959 Cuba. During the course of the revolution, numerous changes have occurred in Cuban society. Health, education, and social mobility are often cited as areas of major improvement brought about by Fidel Castro’s regime. To a degree, the regime may take credit for several instances of social progress, particularly in extending basic services to a larger portion of the population. In the immediate aftermath of the revolution in 1959, there was a radical transformation in the pattern of social mobility. There were widespread promotions and opportunities for people previously outside the range of normal political, social, and economic activity. By most accounts the social record of the Castro regime is a mixed one at best.
