IIN THE DECADES AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR , Latin American nations struggled to find a political balance that integrated long-excluded groups such as women, workers, and peasants in the face of growing anxiety and resistance by liberal oligarchs. Populist politicians rose to power by building a base of support among the urban and rural poor. They often combined charisma with promises of social change, particularly through national economic development that would create more and better job opportunities. Revolutionary leader Fidel Castro carved an alternative path in Cuba. Castro went beyond the reforms advocated by populists and sought an outright revolutionary transformation of Cuban society.