Manifestations of Humanism in Revolutionary Cuba, Che and the principle of universality

Abstract

The humanist dimension of revolutionary Cuban society owes much to the thinking and action of Che Guevara, a principal architect of the Cuban Revolution. Examination of Che’s association with the humanist tradition of revolutionary thought and, in par- ticular, the ideas of Martí and Marx reveals his resolute devotion to moral standards and human values (as promoted by José Martí) and a revolutionary “theoretical response” to defeating human alienation, oppression, exploitation, and inequality (as advanced by the Marxist tradition). Through his contributions, revolutionary Cuban society embraced a distinctively humanistic ethos despite the efforts of others to imbue it with a dogmatic, cold scholasticism. While some political doctrines have changed since his death, funda- mental socialist tenets prevail in Cuba to this day.