“ The development of the sugar industry was to have a significant impact on the politics and culture of the island, since it lead to a huge increase in Cuba's slave population. This in turn helped to fu… Richard Gott
“ Although a handful of progressive individuals favoured independence from Spain, Cuba's economic elite was conservative, fearful of the economic and social consequences of a break with the colonial mot… Richard Gott
“ In the history of all empires, it has proved difficult to enslave the local population for the benefit of foreign invaders. The indigenous inhabitants refuse to work, die off or leave to go elsewhere.… Richard Gott
“ He often reflected on his reluctance to extend the struggle to the Caribbean, and wrote in one of his many letters that it was 'more important to have peace than to liberate these islands. An independ… Richard Gott
“ Later in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, progressive Cubans were happy to downplay the survival of the Indians since those who promoted , and sought to praise and promote Cuba's Indian heritag… Richard Gott
“ The 'buccaneers' came ashore in search of bacon. The Cuban Indians had learnt (from the natives of Haiti) a process of preserving meat by drying it and then smoking it over a fire of green leaves and… Richard Gott
“ Although the Indian population was clearly destroyed as a continuing civilisation and culture, the record suggests that individual groups of surviving Indians may have 'disappeared' becaues it suited… Richard Gott
