Morley’s objectives, clearly stated at the very outset, are to detail and—even more importantly—interpret U.S. policy toward and relations with Cuba from the early 1950s to the latter half of the 1980s. Both objectives are fully achieved. The details of policy and relations have been told and retold in many places, and little new of any significance is provided here on either count. That is not meant as criticism. The recounting of these details is necessary to the overall purpose of the study, and the details of policy and relations are presented here in excellent fashion. What is both valuable and thought provoking about Morley’s work is the interpretation that he advances. It is somewhat controversial, and not all will agree with it. The interpretation falls within the dependency school of analysis/explanation.
The interpretation that Morley gives centers on the concept of the United States as a capitalist imperial state: “… a state with boundaries for capital accumulation located far beyond its geographical limits” (p. 1). Elsewhere, describing the nature or essence of the U.S. imperial state. Morley writes: “The U.S. imperial state can be defined as those governmental bodies charged with promoting and protecting the expansion of capital across state boundaries by the multinational corporate community (p. 14).
After developing the concept of the capitalist imperial state and the evolution of the United States into such a state, the author explicates: (1) the implementation of U.S. imperial state policies in Cuba up to the fall of the Batista regime and (2) the policies Washington applied against the Castro regime when it mounted a challenge to U.S. economic interests (i.e., capital accumulation) in Cuba. The book documents a consistent and persistent U.S. effort to isolate the Cuban Revolution from Latin America and from the entire capitalist world in order to destroy the revolution. In the process, Morley presents a great many interesting, significant insights and findings.
The book is based on extensive research—personal interviews, secondary sources, government documents (some of which were classified and obtained through the Freedom of Information Act), and various other primary sources. Much research was done at several of the presidential libraries. The book contains a wide-ranging and useful bibliography.
This well-written, readable book is must reading for the Cuban specialist and the student of U.S.-Latin American relations. It should be of interest to Latin Americanists generally in the disciplines of history, political science, economics, and sociology. The paperback edition would be appropriate for course assignment.
