Craig, E. “From Literacy to Loyalty: How Castro Exploited Education for Political Power” (in preparation for publication).
ABSTRACT: This paper explores how Fidel Castro’s revolutionary government strategically used propaganda to manipulate the education system and consolidate political power. By embedding Marxist-Leninist ideology into the curriculum, nationalizing schools, training teachers as agents of revolutionary ideals, and censoring alternative viewpoints, the regime transformed education into a mechanism for ideological conformity and political control. In this context, education became a tool for indoctrination, imposing a single worldview as absolute truth, stifling critical thinking and censoring any dissent. Using primary sources—such as government documents, educational materials, and Castro’s speeches—alongside secondary analyses, this study demonstrates how the regime weaponized propaganda and politicized education to suppress intellectual freedom and secure long-term political dominance.