LE3 .A278 2022

2022

Sachs, Jeffrey

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Politics

Politics

In order to examine the greater issue of Cuban regime stability and resilience, my research focuses on the question of how shifts in Cuban migration policy during Fidel Castro’s time in office impacted the government’s overall stability. Throughout the duration of the Fidel Castro government, the Cuban state experienced several political and economic crises which threatened the overall stability of the regime. Despite this, the regime was able to remain relatively stable up to and beyond Castro’s retirement in 2006. I argue that immigration was a major reason for this stability. When faced with significant political and economic crises, the Castro government repeatedly allowed for its citizens to migrate off of the island, thereby dispelling dangerous anti-government sentiment, opening new economic opportunities for the regime, and creating the conditions needed to force United States co-operation on migration formalization. To demonstrate this dynamic, I utilize a Historical Process Tracing methodology to examine the four largest periods of migration in the nation’s history under Castro. Drawing on data from available secondary sources, I argue that these four cases were each proceeded by periods of significant political or economic crisis. Additionally, I show that as a direct result of migration, the potential destabilizing forces of these crises were mitigated or eliminated altogether.

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3822