Agrarian Reform Laws of Cuba
Encyclopedia
The agrarian reform laws of Cuba sought to break up large landholdings and redistribute land to those peasants who worked it, to cooperatives, and the state. Laws relating to land reform
were implemented in a series of laws passed between 1959 and 1963 after the Cuban Revolution
. Che Guevara
was named head of the INRA
as minister of industries and oversaw the land reform policies.
and implemented only in the "liberated territories" of Eastern Cuba under their control.
made one of his most significant speeches where he talked about "the social ideas of the rebel army." During this speech, he declared that the main concern of the new Cuban government was "the social justice that land redistribution brings about."
On May 17, 1959, the Agrarian Reform Law called for and crafted by Guevara went into effect, limiting the size of farms to 3333 acres (13 km²) and real estate to 1000 acres (4 km²). Any holdings over these limits were expropriated by the government and either redistributed to peasants in 67 acres (271,140 m²) parcels or held as state-run communes. The law also stipulated that sugar plantations could not be owned by foreigners. A new government agency, the National Institute of Agrarian Reform
(INRA), was established to administer this law, and quickly became the most important governing body in the nation, with Guevara named Minister of Industries.
INRA established its own 100,000 person militia, used first to help the government seize control of the expropriated land, supervise its distribution, and later to set up cooperative farms. The land confiscated included 480000 acres (1,942 km²) owned by U.S. corporation
s.
Soon after Guevara trained these forces as a regular army, while the INRA also financed most of the highway construction in the country, built rural housing and even tourist resorts per Guevara’s industrial plans.
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
were implemented in a series of laws passed between 1959 and 1963 after the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
. Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
was named head of the INRA
National Institute of Agrarian Reform
The National Institute for Agrarian Reform or INRA was an agency of the Cuban Government that was formed to institute the Agrarian Reform Law of 1959.INRA also implemented the Second Agrarian Reform Law of 1963...
as minister of industries and oversaw the land reform policies.
Law no. 3 of the Sierra Maestra
Law no. 3 of the Sierra Maestra was enacted in the fall of 1958 by the rebel forces under the command of Fidel CastroFidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
and implemented only in the "liberated territories" of Eastern Cuba under their control.
First agrarian reform law under Che Guevara
On January 27, 1959, Che GuevaraChe Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
made one of his most significant speeches where he talked about "the social ideas of the rebel army." During this speech, he declared that the main concern of the new Cuban government was "the social justice that land redistribution brings about."
On May 17, 1959, the Agrarian Reform Law called for and crafted by Guevara went into effect, limiting the size of farms to 3333 acres (13 km²) and real estate to 1000 acres (4 km²). Any holdings over these limits were expropriated by the government and either redistributed to peasants in 67 acres (271,140 m²) parcels or held as state-run communes. The law also stipulated that sugar plantations could not be owned by foreigners. A new government agency, the National Institute of Agrarian Reform
National Institute of Agrarian Reform
The National Institute for Agrarian Reform or INRA was an agency of the Cuban Government that was formed to institute the Agrarian Reform Law of 1959.INRA also implemented the Second Agrarian Reform Law of 1963...
(INRA), was established to administer this law, and quickly became the most important governing body in the nation, with Guevara named Minister of Industries.
INRA established its own 100,000 person militia, used first to help the government seize control of the expropriated land, supervise its distribution, and later to set up cooperative farms. The land confiscated included 480000 acres (1,942 km²) owned by U.S. corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s.
Soon after Guevara trained these forces as a regular army, while the INRA also financed most of the highway construction in the country, built rural housing and even tourist resorts per Guevara’s industrial plans.