The corruption of Fulgencio Batista

Some people on this forum might know that Fulgencio Batista wasn't always a corrupt bastard, but started as a reformer who genuinely cared about the people. In his first term as Cuban president he improved education and healthcare, especially in the countryside. He implemented aspects of the new Cuban constitution of 1941. But in his second term his personality seems to have done a 180-degree turn as he became rapidly corrupt. What happened to him to make him change? Did he get a blow to the head? Or was he just hiding his true colours?

And also, is there a pattern in the fact that a) FB was from a peasant background and is remembered as a tyrannical, corrupt dictator and (b) Stalin is also remembered as corrupt and tyrannical and was also from a peasant background. Both of them secretly manipulated people from behind the scenes. (My grandmother on my mum's side was born in China and from a similar background to Batista, but then she was never a politician.)

BTW, "The Corruption of Fulgencio Batista" sounds like a good title for a historical novel.

edited 15th Sep '12 3:23:26 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

Power corrupts I guess. Also, may I politely inquire what brought this about?

The thread about Che in On-Topic Conversations. Oh, and my writing. Plus this period of history (and area of the world) are fascinating. I have a fascination with the Caribbean and Latin America.

edited 15th Sep '12 4:00:06 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

Cool. Lets trade places. I wanna get the hell out.

@Rigo: Ha ha... well, anyway, what's funny-peculiar about this whole thing is that both Marta and Fulgencio Batista were really, really nice, according to people who met them. Hardly what you think of when you hear "corrupt politician." They were apparently the sort of people who might go up to you on the street and ask how you are when they see you. Apparently, also, he was born Ruben Zaldivar. Unfortunately, he's a historical footnote.

And cool avatar!

Fun fact about him: he had an illegitimate daughter. He acknowledged her in his will.

edited 15th Sep '12 6:11:07 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

bump

Is it just me, or do all the corrupt politicians I've read about seem to have been nice people personally? Excluding people like Hitler and Stalin... the Perons, the Batistas... also, is there a law or something that the poorer a politician's family was, the more corrupt they become?

edited 15th Sep '12 4:11:52 PM by MorwenEdhelwen

...bump?

A politician who comes out as "Not nice" is not a good politician.

@Rigo: Were there any politicians who weren't nice in private? Also, why does everyone ignore the fact Batista was a reformer at first?

Probably because he ended up as a puppet ruler to US Big business whereas Castro stuck it to them.

@terlwyth: Or because the few people outside of Cuba whose history lessons didn't cover this subject want to think he was a one-dimensional villain. Batista is a perfect example of either one or the other things. a)How power corrupts or b) How history is written by the victors. Or both.

edited 15th Sep '12 10:14:18 PM by MorwenEdhelwen

edited 16th Sep '12 12:52:03 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

IMO though I hate him so much, (secret police and "disappeared" people anyone?) Batista is a fascinating figure. He started out with nothing, gained everything than lost it. Maybe I'll use him as a template for a Fallen Hero.

edited 16th Sep '12 1:36:00 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

bump

Morwen, it is bad form to bump your own thread three times in less then a day. The last four posts are all your own. Let people respond when they want to, don't keep trying to grab attention.

Noted

bump

lol

bump.