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A Preponderance of Politics: The Auténtico Governments and US–Cuban Economic Relations, 1945–1951
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 September 2014
Abstract
This article analyses the bilateral economic negotiations between Washington and Havana during the era of the Cuban PRCA (Auténtico) governments led by Ramón Grau San Martín and Carlos Prío Socarrás (1944–52). This work shows that, initially, the PRCA governments took advantage of the economic bargaining capacity that Cuba had developed with Washington during the Good Neighbor era, but after 1947 this declined as the Truman administration's Cold War foreign policy agenda assigned only a marginal position to Latin America and Cuba. Havana's inability to obtain further economic support from the United States had a powerful destabilising effect, complicating Cuba's economic governance and delegitimising the PRCA politically. The study of this episode enhances our comprehension of a period largely overlooked by the historiography on Cuba and our understanding of the demise of the Auténtico project, the last attempt to transform Cuba's social structures in a progressive and democratic manner.
Spanish abstract
Este artículo estudia las negociaciones económicas bilaterales entre Washington y La Habana durante la época de los gobiernos cubanos del PRCA (Auténtico) encabezados por Ramón Grau San Martín y Carlos Prío Socarrás (1944–52). Este trabajo muestra que, inicialmente, los gobiernos del PRCA aprovecharon de la capacidad de negociaciones económicas que Cuba había desarrollado con Washington durante la época ‘Good Neighbor’ (política de buen vecino), pero que después de 1947 esta capacidad disminuyó cuando la agenda de relaciones exteriores de la administración de Truman durante la Guerra Fría designó a América Latina y a Cuba un papel solamente marginal. La incapacidad de Cuba para obtener más apoyo económico de los Estados Unidos tuvo un fuerte efecto desestabilizador, complicando el gobierno económico y arriesgando la legitimidad política del PRCA. El estudio de este acontecimiento aumenta nuestra comprensión de una época pasada por alto en buena parte por la historiografía sobre Cuba y nuestro entendimiento de la desaparición del proyecto Auténtico, el último intento para transformar las estructuras sociales de Cuba de manera progresiva y democrática.
Portuguese abstract
Este artigo analisa as negociações econômicas bilaterais entre Washington e Havana durante a era dos governos cubanos do PRCA (Auténtico) chefiados pelo Ramón Grau San Martín e pelo Carlos Prío Socarrás (1944–52). Este estúdio demonstra que, inicialmente, os governos do PRCA aproveitaram da capacidade para as negociações econômicas que Cuba tinha desenvolvido com Washington durante a era do Good Neighbor (bom vizinho), mas depois de 1947 esta capacidade diminuiu quando a agenda de politica externa da administração Truman durante a Guerra Fria deu à América Latina e a Cuba uma posição apenas marginal. A incapacidade de Havana para obter mais apoio econômico dos Estados Unidos teve um forte efeito desestabilizador, complicando o governo econômico cubano e pondo em risco a legitimidade política do PRCA. O estúdio de este caso reforça a nossa compreensão de um período ignorado em grande parte pela historiografia sobre Cuba e o nosso entendimento do desaparecimento do projeto Auténtico, a tentativa final para transformar as estruturas sociais cubanas de uma forma progressiva e democrática.
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References
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22 ‘1946 Cuban Sugar Negotiations, Meeting of October 17 1945’, 17 Oct. 1945, NARA RG59, 837.61351/10-1745.
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30 Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 2 Jan. 1946, NARA RG59, 837.61351/1-246.
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38 Personal elaboration based on data from ‘Entries and Marketings of Sugar in Continental United States from All Areas, 1900 to Date’, in History and Operations of the U. S. Sugar Program, US Congress, House Committee on Agriculture, 14 May 1962 (Washington, DC: U. S Government Printing Office, 1962), p. 3. On Cuba's proposal, see Belt to Marshall, 20 May 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/5-2047.
39 Congressional Hearings, Committee on Rules, House, 80 H. R. 4075, ‘Promotion and Regulation of Sugar Industry’, 7 July 1947, p. 16; see also Pendleton, William C., ‘American Sugar Policy – 1948 Version’, Journal of Farm Economics, 30: 2 (1948), p. 235–7Google Scholar.
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41 Office Memorandum from Walker to Wright and Braden, A-BR, ‘Ambassador Belt's Appointment to see Mr. Braden this Afternoon’, 20 May 1947, NARA RG59, FW 837.61351/5-1947.
42 On Bell's protests, see Memorandum of Conversation, ‘Cuban Note Expressing Apprehension Over Sugar Legislation Pending in U. S. Congress’, 20 May 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/5-2047. On Anderson's intervention, see Memorandum of Conversation, ‘Sugar Legislation’, 29 May 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/5-2947.
43 Ibid.
44 Memorandum of Conversation, ‘Sugar Legislation’, 9 June 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/6-447.
45 Ibid.
46 Memorandum of Conversation, ‘Cuban Note Expressing Apprehension Over Sugar Legislation Pending in U. S. Congress’, 20 May 1947, 837.61351/5-2047.
47 Memorandum of Conversation, ‘Notes on Proposed Sugar Legislation’, 17 June 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/6-1747.
48 Memorandum of the director of the Office of American Republic Affairs (Briggs) to the under-secretary of state for economic affairs (Clayton), 17 June 1947, in Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, vol. 8 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1972), p. 614.
49 Memorandum of Conversation, ‘Industrial Proposal for the Revision of the Sugar Act of 1937’, 18 June 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/6-1847.
50 Ibid.
51 The Philippine deficit indicates the difference between the country's assigned quota and its real productive capacities.
52 Ibid.
53 Ibid.
54 US Congress, House Committee on Agriculture, ‘Sugar Act of 1948: Report to Accompany’, 3 July 1947, pp. 4–7.
55 Heston, Thomas J., ‘Cuba, the United States and the Sugar Act of 1948: The Failure of Economic Coercion’, Diplomatic History, 6: 1 (1982), p. 2Google Scholar.
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58 US Embassy Havana, ‘Cuba's 1948 Sugar Crop Problems’, 30 Sep. 1947, NARA RG59, 837.61351/9-3047.
59 Ramiro Guerra, ‘Actualidad económica’, Diario de la Marina, 7 May 1948, p. 18.
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62 ‘Detalló ampliamente su programa de gobierno en el Club Atenas anoche el candidato de la alianza, Dr. C. Prío’, Diario de la Marina, 6 May 1948, pp. 1, 28.
63 Ameringer, The Cuban Democratic Experience, pp. 74–5.
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65 Ibid., p. 107.
66 ‘El Dr. Prío notificó personalmente a los trabajadores azucareros de la congelación de su salario’, Diario de la Marina, 1 Dec. 1948, p. 1.
67 US Embassy Havana to secretary of state, ‘Foreign Minister Today Stated President Prío Desires Discuss During the Visit’, 29 Nov. 1948, NARA, RG59, 837.001, Prío Socarrás Carlos/11-2948.
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71 Ibid., pp. 15, 18.
72 US Embassy Havana, ‘Conversation Respecting Cuban–American Problems during Visit of President Prío’, 30 Nov. 1948, NARA RG59, 837.001, Prío Socarrás Carlos/11-3048.
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81 ‘Address by the Secretary of State before the Second Plenary Session of the Ninth International Conference of American States’, Department of State, Division of Publications Office of Public Affairs, April 1948, pp. 4, 9.
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83 US Embassy Havana, ‘Conversation Respecting Cuban–American Problems during Visit of President Prío’, 30 Nov. 1948, NARA RG59, 837.001, Prío Socarrás Carlos/11-3048.
84 US Embassy to secretary of state, no. 344, 11 Oct. 1949, NARA RG59, 837.51/10-1149.
85 Office Memorandum, 6 Dec. 1958, NARA RG59, 837.51/11-2648; Office Memorandum, ‘A-1347 of Nov. 26 from Havana’, 1 Dec. 1948, NARA RG59, 837.51/11-2648.
86 US Embassy, ‘Conversation with President Prío’, 17 Feb. 1949, NARA RG59, 837.51/3-149.
87 US Embassy Havana, ‘Latest Developments Respecting Cuban Public Works Loan Project: Memorandum of Conversation with Mr. Oscar Muller’, 4 Nov. 1949, NARA RG59, 837.51/11-449.
88 US Embassy, ‘Opposition Parties Parade in Protest against Proposed 200 Million Dollar Loan: No Disorder’, 1 Nov. 1949, NARA RG59, 837.51/11-149; Ameringer, The Cuban Democratic Experience, p. 107.
89 US Embassy Havana, ‘Latest Developments Respecting Cuban Public Works Loan Project: Memorandum of Conversation with Mr. Oscar Muller’, 4 Nov. 1949, NARA RG59, 837.51/11-449; Department of State, outgoing telegram to US Embassy Havana, 24 Nov. 1949, NARA RG59, 837.51/11-1549.
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92 US Embassy Havana, ‘Cuban Government Concerts 120,000,000 Loan; 45,000,000 Subscribed by Five Cuban Banks’, 22 Aug. 1950, NARA RG59, 837.10/8-2250.
93 Raul Cepero Bonilla, ‘Motivos económicos: perspectivas inquietantes’, Prensa Libre, 30 June 1951, p. 7.
94 US Embassy Havana, ‘Week No. 10’, 7 March 1952, NARA RG59, 737.00(W)/3-752.
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98 Wellman (Office of Middle American Affairs), to Miller (ARA), ‘Draft Note to Cuba on Sugar Legislation’, 10 Sep. 1951, NARA RG59, 837.2351/53151.
99 ‘Memorandum for Charles Brannan from the President’, 22 June 1951, Harry S. Truman Library, OF 241, Box 983, Sugar, 1947–53.
100 ‘En defensa de la economía nacional’, Bohemia, 15 July 1951, p. 80.
101 Ibid.; Guillermo Belt, ‘La agonía de nuestro azúcar: parte segunda’, Bohemia, 9 Sep. 1951, pp. 20–1.
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