Socialisme onder de zon Nederlandse Cubasympathisanten in de jaren zestig

In Dutch historiography concerning the 1960s, the Cuba solidarity movement is highly underrepresented. Based on new primary sources, this article argues that this movement deserves more scholarly attention. Although small in size, the Cuba movement, mostly consisting of leftwing intellectuals and students, sheds light on two larger research themes. First, for Dutch Cuba sympathizers the so-called ‘Third World’ was not just a ‘projection screen’, on which they could cast their own preoccupations with the Western system, culture or authority. On the contrary, in response to the perceived negative image of Cuba and the US embargo against the Caribbean Island, they sincerely and continuously attempted to expose the favorable developments following the Cuban revolution. By doing this, they hoped that the Dutch public would give the Cuban revolution a chance, as well as the Third World in general. Second, this article demonstrates the agency of Third World regimes during the Sixties in Western countries. By actively searching for potential Dutch sympathizers and inviting them over to Cuba, the regime had a huge inspirational and motivational impact on the Cuba solidarity movement which was crucial for its continued existence. Moreover, it is argued that the Cuban diplomatic efforts not only contributed to the political unrest and protest around 1968, but also were at the root of the Dutch-Cuban aid relationship between 1973 and 1977.