When Fidel Castro led the attack on Moncada army barracks on July 26, 1953, he had no intention of turning Cuba into a Socialist state, or even of becoming its leader. Like many other Cubans, he simply wanted to restore the constitution of 1940. The constitution promised to make life more equitable for the average Cuban via political and economic reform, but it, and the reforms, had been suspended by Fulgencio Batista in 1952. After taking power in 1959, however, Castro became convinced that social reform of the magnitude required to transform Cuba was not possible through capitalism, and he began to lead his country down the socialist road.

As in most countries that embraced socialism, most Cubans, especially the poor ones, had no interest in socialism or any other political theory. What they were interested in was food, shelter, clothing, education, and health care. When Castro promised to...