Jackson Lennock
Well-known member
Apparently (according to one YouTube video) Grover Cleveland considered offering to just purchase Cuba from Spain at one point during the 1890s rebellion. What if that had occurred?
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WI: Grover Cleveland purchases Cuba
- Thread starter Jackson Lennock
- Start date
Spain would have rejected it.
You need to understand that Antillean Spain was in a very odd position in the minds of Spanish (elites) at the time - it was a part of Spain, it was not really considered per se a colony - it had representation in Parliament, its elites were well-integrated in the Spanish social, economic and political order, and for many Spaniards, although obviously different due to the distance, Cuba (and Puerto Rico) were Spanish and had been since 1492-ish, so same situation as the Canary Islands or Granada.
In the running-up to the conflict, the question of the Antilles played a key role in the changing of governments between the Conservatives led by Cánovas del Castilo - the party was closely associated with the colonial/pro-slavery lobby formed by the Cuban plantation landowners and all those who enriched (on both sides of the Atlantic) from the cash crop trade - and the Liberals, who, despite very nationalistic factions within, were favourable to granting - and granted - an enormous amount of autonomy to both islands.
But the question of selling the island was only ever considered once, in 1869, by General Juan Prim, who led the country after the 1868 Revolution until his murder - likely organised by Cuban elites as the country was about to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico. Prime had interesting ideas of his own and commanded the loyalty of all factions of the 1868 revolutionary coalition formed by moderate liberals, progressive liberals, democrats and possibilists republicans ('cimbrios').
Other than that, there is no chance. In 1898, the Sagasta cabinet knew the war was lost the moment it began, unlike the extremely bellicose press, and so their efforts really focused on obtaining a peace agreement that was as light on Spain as possible (which they got tbh), but they still sent troops and the navy to fight the Americans because they had to.
No government could sell a part of their country, which has been a part of the country for (at that point) 400 years or so, without a fight and not fall to an insurrection or a revolution.
You need to understand that Antillean Spain was in a very odd position in the minds of Spanish (elites) at the time - it was a part of Spain, it was not really considered per se a colony - it had representation in Parliament, its elites were well-integrated in the Spanish social, economic and political order, and for many Spaniards, although obviously different due to the distance, Cuba (and Puerto Rico) were Spanish and had been since 1492-ish, so same situation as the Canary Islands or Granada.
In the running-up to the conflict, the question of the Antilles played a key role in the changing of governments between the Conservatives led by Cánovas del Castilo - the party was closely associated with the colonial/pro-slavery lobby formed by the Cuban plantation landowners and all those who enriched (on both sides of the Atlantic) from the cash crop trade - and the Liberals, who, despite very nationalistic factions within, were favourable to granting - and granted - an enormous amount of autonomy to both islands.
But the question of selling the island was only ever considered once, in 1869, by General Juan Prim, who led the country after the 1868 Revolution until his murder - likely organised by Cuban elites as the country was about to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico. Prime had interesting ideas of his own and commanded the loyalty of all factions of the 1868 revolutionary coalition formed by moderate liberals, progressive liberals, democrats and possibilists republicans ('cimbrios').
Other than that, there is no chance. In 1898, the Sagasta cabinet knew the war was lost the moment it began, unlike the extremely bellicose press, and so their efforts really focused on obtaining a peace agreement that was as light on Spain as possible (which they got tbh), but they still sent troops and the navy to fight the Americans because they had to.
No government could sell a part of their country, which has been a part of the country for (at that point) 400 years or so, without a fight and not fall to an insurrection or a revolution.
Last edited:
raharris1973
Well-known member
Was he planning an auction, figuring the US was looking to buy, since they'd complained about Spain being mean to insurrectos?But the question of selling the island was only ever considered once, in 1869, by General Juan Prim
Was he planning an auction, figuring the US was looking to buy, since they'd complained about Spain being mean to insurrectos?
I don't believe Prim ever got so close to details, as far I know. I think he either thought in terms of actual independence or sale to the US, but I don't know any specifics.