Che Guevarra

“Che” Guevara has become one of the most iconic symbols for Marxist socialism in history. History has had more than thirty years to review the impact of Guevara on a time where the world was coming to grips with the idea of a military power great enough to level large cities with a single bomb. I will be discussing Guevara the man and his philosophy, his vision for Latin America, Marxism, and his successes in the Cuban revolution and designs on further revolution using guerrilla warfare. Furthermore, my research explores the evolution of the student movement in Britain and internationally and its influence on government in Great Britain. This paper concludes that the death of Che Guevara had little effect on the operations of student activism or government in Great Britain. The research that I will present shows that the socialist considerations outside of Latin American regarding Guevara were far less significant than they were in Latin America.

Throughout the period of 1940-1970 the world was undergoing a period of growing pains with tension between differing political and social ideologies. Capitalism and communism were the hallmarks of this time in history and Che Guevara became the accidental poster child for revolution and socialism. Although his image signified revolution or rage against the establishment, Guevara’s work did not have a direct impact on the socialist movement in Britain nor on young students. 

Ernesto “Che” Guevara was an Argentinean born Marxist social revolutionary serving as the right-hand man and architect of the Cuban revolution against Batista. Guevara became known for his strongly socialist rhetoric, philosophy, and aptitude for guerrilla warfare as a means of revolution. He was deeply troubled by poverty in Latin America, and his direct experiences interacting with the poor in Latin American inspired much of his Marxist philosophy. His passionate belief in socialism as a proper form of government justified his belief that guerrilla warfare and violent means of toppling capitalist governments were justified 

When Cuba became the first socialist country in Latin America, Guevara and Castro were faced with the challenge of transitioning the economy to purely socialism without the means of capital initiating the great debate in the early sixties. The challenge for Guevara, who in November 1959 assumed control of the economic transition, was to nationalize all the industry in Cuba. Guevara succeeded, Alfredo González opined, “What took place under Che’s management was the transition from a capitalist industrial sector to a socialist-run industrial sector…There has never been a more profound change with less trauma or with a better response to the new conditions created. That was Che’s main achievement.” Guevara was an absolute devotee of Marx and Lenin and this ultimately led to the departure of his position in Cuban government although he and Castro maintained a strong bond.    

Guevara had his sights on liberating all of Latin America from capitalism. His impatience with Castro prompted Guevara to continue his cause elsewhere. Guevara toured Asia and African countries making speeches critical of any involvement with the capitalist west saying, “The socialist countries have the moral duty to liquidate their tacit complicity with the exploiting countries of the West.”  In speeches and writings, Guevara dismantled the argument for capitalism in favor of Marxist-socialism from the general standpoint that the economic tools of commerce were unfairly concentrated in the capitalists. To remedy this perceived injustice, Guevara supported violent uprising. Guevara fanned the flames of revolution of the economic system and his early death at the hands of oppressors emblazoned him as a popular icon among young activists.

Guevara’s diary depicts his last stand in Bolivia. He chronicles the environmental challenges including an incessant rain, swamps, malaria, near-starvation, poisoned stomachs.  In Bolivia he found a large group of Communists who were not as committed to the cause as he was. His Bolivian fighting force was tempered by defection and lack of focus. Bolivia demonstrated that it was easy to earn the affections of the people, but that they were not ready for the dirty work of guerrilla warfare. It was in his attempt to lead a guerrilla force in Bolivia where he was ultimately killed by Bolivian military trained by the United States CIA. His assassination solidified his position as a martyr for the cause of elevating poor people through Marxist theories through revolution.  

It’s important at this point to remember that Che Guevara represented a Marxist - Lenin socialist who believed without question that the best form of government for justice and economic equality is socialism. He believed that a divided Latin America was unacceptable, and that guerrilla warfare was the best method for uniting Latin America. He stood for a complete overthrow of the government by violent means. He interpreted the economic oppression as physical oppression that could only be met with violent revolution. Indeed, the man led the first successful economic transition from capitalism to communism in Latin America. However, he couldn’t sit still until the entire continent, nay say the world, was socialist. And he was ruthlessly willing to kill anyone who got in the way. Considering this, he’s a man who died for his beliefs. And this is considered noble, laudable, and enviable. 

Thirty years after his death, history took the chance to evaluate the impact Guevara had on the socialist movement. Strong critics include modern communist parties including the South African Communist party who has suggested banning Che memorabilia claiming that it has been robbed of political context and over commercialized. His image has come to signify more a pop culture icon rather than a revolutionary visionary.  

In essence the war Guevara was fighting does not exist anymore. Famine and oppression are still present in our world as they were in Guevara’s time. However, the power has changed, the dynamics of the economy are different, Guevara would hardly be able to recognize the capitalistic world today. Guevara was young, and a student when he was most inspired by the condition of the poor. His youth and intelligence inspired a socialist revolution. Many revolutions begin with students.  

The student movement in Great Britain began in 1941.The International Council of Students (ICS) was set up to coordinate the social engagement work and communication of students in England and its allied countries. Its first incarnation was ineffective, and it was disbanded in 1944 to make way for a more inclusive body, the International Union of Students (IUS). The IUS functioned as the student’s arm of the socialist movement. Through its journal and its meetings, the positions promulgated by the IUS secretariat were supportive of the “socialist bloc” and pro-Stalinist.

During the Cold War the dynamics of the student movement changed. In 1950, an alternative international group for students was created, the International Student Conference (ISC). This organization included more democratic representation. In both organizations, factions formed, and they became unstable. Cold War tension added to the problem. It all seemed to come to a head in 1968. 

The death of Guevara was said to be, “the climax of various developments that had been set in motion by the immense speed of the social and economic transformations after the Second World War; demographic changes and dramatic increase in university enrollment, a globalization of communication channels, and unprecedented economic prosperity that brought the arrival of consumer society, and a generational gap expressed in differing expectation and hopes for the future... “1968” thus stands as a metaphor used to capture the broad history of European protest and activism.”  Many students in Britain were supportive of socialism.

Although there was growing interest among students from all over the world in socialism including Great Britain, their most effective political activism came as reforms at the University level. It is not clear that the radical student movement had any substantial effect on the government of Great Britain. Ideological changes at the governmental level occurred in response to political and economic pressure stemming from the aftermath of World War II and the emergence of the Cold War. Of note, though, Marx had a great deal of interest in Britain and used Britain as an example of capitalism. 

Marx used Britain as the example of the problems of the capitalist economy where the class conflicts between the bourgeoisie and proletariat would develop. Against these ideas the Briton’s themselves seemed to never really feel the pain that Marx described as the foundation for the proletariat revolution. 

Socialism emerged in Great Britain more as a part of economic recovery rather than an ideological movement. Following the devastation of the Second World War, Great Britain was charged with the daunting task of rebuilding their country from the ground up. During the war, many industries had been nationalized to focus on building equipment to fight the war.

It was in the Labour Party and other left leaning parties in Great Britain where socialist ideas took hold. Eventually, the Communist Party of Great Britain was formed based on the communist ideas of Marx and Lenin in support of the Soviet Union, which had emerged intact following the war. While the war presented opportunities for technological advancement, efficient means of feeding the public were also needed. It was not the intent of British Socialists to have external factors force the paradigm shift. It was the intention of socialists that changes in British government occurred internally. 

While the end of World War II brought about the nuclear age, the Cold War begun. As the Cold War continued there would be an arms race that would create two worlds superpowers. One was secular and democratic, the other communist. The war was not just about arms, it was also about economic and social theory. As the Cold War waged on, Britain experienced a waning in its communist factions.  Under the red flag, the waning of communism in Great Britain declined in the Cold War Atmosphere. By the late 1970’s going into the 1980’s Britain saw a significant loss of rigidity in socialist ideals. 

Ideological and organizational problems plagued the left. Factions were developing in the CPGB itself between the Stalinists and advocates for decentralized power. During the 38th Congress in November of 1983, an alternative slate of candidates to the executive committee exemplified a profound paradigm shift that the leadership no longer had the confidence of the membership. This paradigm shift occurring in Great Britain represents the general rise and fall of Marxism in the world throughout the same time in history. 

Socialism as it existed in Great Britain was a consequence of the time in history where the sociopolitical ideals of Marx and Stalin were given a go on the world stage. It does not appear that the government of Great Britain was particularly influenced by Che Guevara. The relative rise and fall of communism in Great Britain was more influenced by economic factors and concerns about Europe, rather than the ideas of an Argentinean Guerrilla Socialist warrior. Britain’s greatest concern was how to participate in the global economy. 

Through the course of this speech I have analyzed the impact of Guevara on the student movements in Great Britain, finding that his particular influence was minimal. It was found that other factors were more influential on British students than Guevara’s death. Further, whether his death inspired consideration of socialism in British government, this research shows that other pressing international and social factors more heavily influenced British government. This post-war economy and ensuing Cold War proved to be more pressing for the British government. Additionally, socialist considerations were present in numerous countries during this important period in history. The greatest influence of Guevara was in Latin America. Although Guevara did not have a significantly direct effect on Great Britain, his contribution and significance to Marxism and socialism cannot be underestimated when properly viewed in context of his actual philosophy. 

References

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