Analysis Of Bacardi And The Long Fight For Cub The Biography Of A Cause

In “Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause” (New York: Penguin, 2008), Tom Gjelten highlights the importance of the story of Bacardi family which helped explain the evolution of Cuba as a nation. Gjelten focused on the entire family from the beginning and described certain Bacardi family members who played a vital role in the Cuban Wars of independence. There is also focus on the fifty year period between 1902 and 1952 and the actions of the family members. Gjelten’s attention in the end of the story was on the various responses of the Bacardi family to the 1960s. The book shed light on the changing U.S. - Cuban relations that spanned for two centuries. This paper will focus on the Bacardi family members who played critical …show more content…
(99)Most of the success throughout the of the brand is attributed to Emilio’s brother in law, Enrique Schueg. Shueg was a great business executive who recognized the importance of expansion for the company whenever an opportunity arouse. Enrique Schueg was chosen as president of the company after the founders brother signifying that “business expertise was more valuable than bacardi blood.” (pg 112) During Prohibition, the executives of the Bacardi company knew that if they focused on maximizing their advertising campaign their profits would increase. President Gerardo Machado was a corrupt U.S. backed politician who was democratically elected in 1924. President Machado was desperate for tax revenues and demanded an impractical amount from the Bacardi family and was vehemently rejected. Shueg was so well respected that he was able to persuade the company in expanding internationally and to diversify its production of beer. Shueg established a distribution subsidiary in Mexico and this was the first overseas expansion for the company other than the one in Barcelona. Machado issued the economic emergency bill which placed a tax on rum and it was at this moment that Enrique Shueg understood how critical it was for the company to maintain its independence from Cuba. (pg 119) In 1943, Shueg was already 81 years old and the company decided to give the executive position to the impressive rising star Pepin Bosch. The time Schueg worked for the Bacardi company lasted over 50 years and brought it prosperity. At the same time, Fulgencio Batista was rallying up followers and in 1943 took control of the Bacardi company. This intervention by Batista angered the family who did not support his cause for the rest of the time he was in power. During the 1950s, there was a shortage of leaders in the island who were not able to create a profound change in Cuba. The Bacardi enterprise was