Sugar and Railroads

A Cuban History, 1837-1959

By Alejandro Garcia, Oscar Zanetti | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

Though Cuba was among the first countries in the world to utilize rail transport, the history of its railroads has been little studied. This English translation of the prize-winning Caminos para el azúcar traces the story of railroads in Cuba from their introduction in the nineteenth century through the 1959 Revolution.
More broadly, the book uses the development of the Cuban rail transport system to provide a fascinating perspective on Cuban history, particularly the story of its predominant agro-industry, sugar. While railroads facilitated the sugar industry’s rapid growth after 1837, the authors argue, sugar interests determined where railroads would be built and who would benefit
from them. Zanetti and García explore the implications of this symbiotic relationship for the technological development of the railroads, the economic evolution of Cuba, and the lives of the railroad workers.
As this work shows, the economic benefits that accompanied the rise of railroads in Europe and the United States were not repeated in Cuba. Sugar and Railroads provides a poignant demonstration of the fact that technological progress alone is far from sufficient for development.

Editions of Sugar and Railroads

Hardcover
ISBN 9780807823859
Paperback
ISBN 9780807846926
EBook
ISBN 9780807866436
PDF
ISBN 9798890869128

Read an Excerpt

Though Cuba was among the first countries in the world to utilize rail transport, the history of its railroads has been little studied. This English translation of the prize-winning Caminos para el azúcar traces the story of railroads in Cuba from their introduction in the nineteenth century through the 1959 Revolution.
More broadly, the book uses the development of the Cuban rail transport system to provide a fascinating perspective on Cuban history, particularly the story of its predominant agro-industry, sugar. While railroads facilitated the sugar industry’s rapid growth after 1837, the authors argue, sugar interests determined where railroads would be built and who would benefit
from them. Zanetti and García explore the implications of this symbiotic relationship for the technological development of the railroads, the economic evolution of Cuba, and the lives of the railroad workers.
As this work shows, the economic benefits that accompanied the rise of railroads in Europe and the United States were not repeated in Cuba. Sugar and Railroads provides a poignant demonstration of the fact that technological progress alone is far from sufficient for development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sugar and Railroads about?

Though Cuba was among the first countries in the world to utilize rail transport, the history of its railroads has been little studied. This English translation of the prize-winning Caminos para el azúcar traces the story of railroads in Cuba from their introduction in the nineteenth century through the 1959 Revolution.
More broadly, the book uses the development of the Cuban rail transport system to provide a fascinating perspective on Cuban history, particularly the story of its predominant agro-industry, sugar. While railroads facilitated the sugar industry’s rapid growth after 1837, the authors argue, sugar interests determined where railroads would be built and who would benefit
from them. Zanetti and García explore the implications of this symbiotic relationship for the technological development of the railroads, the economic evolution of Cuba, and the lives of the railroad workers.
As this work shows, the economic benefits that accompanied the rise of railroads in Europe and the United States were not repeated in Cuba. Sugar and Railroads provides a poignant demonstration of the fact that technological progress alone is far from sufficient for development.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Sugar and Railroads?

History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas

Where can I read a sample of Sugar and Railroads?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807823859

How long is Sugar and Railroads and how many pages does it have?

Sugar and Railroads has 528 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Sugar and Railroads?

Alejandro Garcia, Oscar Zanetti

Who is the Publisher of the book Sugar and Railroads?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Sugar and Railroads is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807823859) and paperback(ISBN 9780807846926) and ebook(ISBN 9780807866436) and pdf(ISBN 9798890869128)

Where can I buy Sugar and Railroads online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy Sugar and Railroads?