WI: Cuba becomes a Confederate state?

Genghis Kawaii

Gone Fishin'
In a lot of "CSA wins" scenarioes, I've seen hints of Confederate designs on Cuba. Which is interesting, because, while both are slave societies in the 1860s, they don't really see the racial aspects the same way. In particular, while sexual relations between Southern slave owners and slaves definately happened, interracial sex and reproduction was not at all encouraged. In Colonial Spanish territories, white-black relationships were a whole lot more acceptable, and white-native relationships were downright encouraged. It's a big reason why the South basically saw things as "One black ancestor, and you're black", while the Spanish had a whole complex system of mixed race ethnicities, stratified by degree.

So, basically, the CSA breaks off from the Union, and by 1870 they've beaten up Spain and seized Cuba. For the sake of my sanity and getting to what I really want to talk about, let's handwave that whole business away and focus on the fascinating elephant in the room: with Cuban slavery and racial attitudes being very different from Southern slavery, how does the South reconcile these new attitudes with their own views on the issue? How does a Southern view of white supremacy mesh with a society where it's well known that most white people have Sub-Saharan African ancestry?
 
Don't know how long CSA keeps Cuba the Union at the least is running guns to the rebels

As to racial view and policies I think they tell those that have a choice that they come around to their CSA way of thinking or they will be ostracized from the new ruling elite.
 
My guess: States' Rights. what the Cubans do in Cuba is particular to the State of Cuba. Wealthy cubanos with mixed blood when traveling would be considered to be of mestizo background when it was at all possible to do so.
 
Spain was still a significant naval power in 1870. It's hard to see a daisy fresh Confederacy successfully carrying off an adventure like this.
 
... with Cuban slavery and racial attitudes being very different from Southern slavery, how does the South reconcile these new attitudes with their own views on the issue? How does a Southern view of white supremacy mesh with a society where it's well known that most white people have Sub-Saharan African ancestry?

Hmm. I would suggest that the social history of Louisiana offers some clues. When Louisiana was acquired by the US, its population included a fair number of mixed-blood people with relatively high status, socially and legally, the gens de couleur. Over the next 50 years, that status was gradually eroded; I don't know the details, but when the Civil War broke out, they tried to join the Confederate Army (many were slaveholders), even forming a "regiment", but were rejected. After the Union occupation of New Orleans, they formed a Union regiment.

Cuba would be different, of course. Louisiana in 1803 had a small population, which was soon outnumbered by American migrants to what was still frontier territory. (No "French" candidate won election to the US House from Louisiana until 1842.)

Cuba had a much larger population (about 1.3M) being pretty much fully settled by 1870. So such an Anglo takeover would be much harder there. Cuba would definitely become an anomaly in the CSA. Cuba would be a state (with that large population). But I think there would be an "unwritten law" that no black or mulatto would ever be elected to the CS Congress.

CSA society, as represented by anglo migrants to Cuba, would put pressure on the "white" Spanish population to establish a strict color bar. This might prove to be somewhat popular with "white" Cubans. How much resistance could free mixed and black Cubans put up?

Another question is the culture of the independent CSA. Would it continue to tolerate the substantial "free colored" population of the Upper South? Or would it follow the path of South Carolina and other Deep South states, driving out or re-enslaving free colored residents everywhere? If the latter, would that program be extended to Cuba, where that "problem" would be most acute? Would the "free colored" people of Cuba be enslaved or exiled (perhaps to Puerto Rico)?

Or perhaps a "free colored reserve" might be established, maybe on the Isle of Pines?
 

Saphroneth

Banned
Spain can probably beat CSA?
Pretty much, yes. The only route I can see to get this outcome is essentially the good old filibuster approach - someone from the CSA with several hundred men and a vast quantity of rifles manages to become enough of a leader during an independence war to unilaterally join the CSA.
 
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