Castroism
From Socialism
Castroism is an ideology of national liberation and revolution based on a synthesis of Leninism and Populism.
[edit] Ideaology
Castroism is based on the ideas and Marxist theories engineered by Che Guevara and Raúl Castro and Fidel Castro, leaders of the Cuban Revolution. Like all Leninists, Castroists believe that the bourgeois capitalist state must be overthrown in order to create a socialist alternative. But instead of leading the masses through a vanguard party (Lenin’s view), they believe in "focoism", a Populist-based theory that acts of guerilla warfare, restricted terrorism, and heroic actions taken by a small band of warriors against the establishment will inspire the masses to join them.
Also referred to at times as "Guevaraism", followers of the ideology of Castroism believe in a strong centralized government that does not capitulate in any way to "liberal" capitalist reforms. While authoritarian in nature, Castroism does not resort to the totalitarian bureaucracy that is evident in Stalinism and Maoism. While not taking the anti-Stalinist stand which Leon Trotsky did, Castro did prevent Cuba from becoming Stalinist, as seen in Castro’s expulsion of Aníbal Escalante and his Stalinist faction from the Cuban government during the 1960’s.
[edit] In areas outside of Cuba
On the island of Grenada, Maurice Bishop, leader of the New JEWEL Movement and follower of a non-violent form of Castroism, succeeded in producing a bloodless coup on the island and overthrowing the British imperialists. In the US, the largest Castroist party today is the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). Almost every Communist and Socialist party in the United States (to a certain degree) respects the Cuban government
