THE CUBAN REVOLUTION AND THE FORMATION OF THE NEW MAN (1959-1961)

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the education development in Cuba during the years of 1959 to 1961, whose concern was the formation of the new man with the intention of consolidating the revolutionary movement.The theoretical and methodological assumption implied in analyzing the educational processes based on their historical, economic and political authenticity, which aims to attend to the interests of the society in which it is inserted.The guiding question that led to the analysis was: What are the cultural, moral and political principles that characterize the new man that was intended to be formed in Cuba? In order to do that, the speech made by Ernesto Che Guevara in the book "Socialism and Man in Cuba" (1995) and the speech made by Fidel Castro at Che Guevara’s funeral in 1997, were used as source. In the writings made by Che Guevara (1995), the manual of a revolutionary pedagogy is evident and in the exposition portrayed by Fidel Castro (1997) Che Guevara is pointed as the model of an ideal man who would meet the needs of that period in Cuba. The research is justified in the current educational historical context by fomenting the reflection about a critical and transforming pedagogy.