This page will be used for Mr. Webber's P.R.S. students to complete assignments and to communicate with fellow students on issues surrounding our 10th grade World History class.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Cuban QQC
Please carefully read the entire Economist special report on Cuba and then post a detailed QQC on what you read. Please post by 8am Wednesday April 11.
Quote: “Fidel ruled Cuba through the unbridled exercise of his massive ego.” Question: What one factor is most responsible for the horrible state that Cuba is in? Comment: Throughout history there have been many collapses of civilizations, unsuccessful missions, unstable governments, un happy people, etc. In many of these situations total blame is put solely on the leader of the country. For example ancient Roman history is looked at by the reign of each emperor. Each time Rome began to fall or become in a bad state one can look to see who the emperor was during that time and how they were responsible. While the emperor may have been to blame, was there another source or reason more at fault? What outside forces were present that caused such issues? These questions can be related to the current crisis in Cuba. Much of society is solely looking to Fidel for all of the problems. However, how much of it is to blame on the United States? The United States’s embargo against Cuba may be keeping the Castro’s in power and furthering Cuba down the path it is currently on. In addition, this complete isolation really hurts economy and limits so much, such as trade. While for a very long time it has been clear that Cuba has not an equal or fair government the United States may only be contributing to that.
Quote: "The trickiest reform of all will be unifying the two currencies, by devaluing the CUC and revaluing the peso. It would help if Cuba were a member of the IMF and the World Bank and had access to international credit, but so far the government has shown no interest in joining... for devaluation to provide a stimulus, rather than just generating inflation, the economy would have to be far more flexible." Question: What does Cuba plan to do when it runs out of monetary options, and is left with a failing communist economy with some capitalist aspects that make no real difference to how the nation controls its people's money? How can it continue to survive without making reforms or without reaching for to outside help? Comment: Cuba has gotten itself into one hell of an economic pickle. They are essentially relying on outside subsidies to supplement their GDP just so they can feed their people through their vastly inefficient agricultural system, Acopio. They have two currencies, one of which is competing with America, a vastly superior capitalist economy known for extremely rapid growth. In addition, besides their subsidies, they have cut themselves off from any kind of outside support. Their people are tired of the vast inequality and their youth are rapidly fleeing the country, leaving a workforce of old men and uneducated farmers. If Cuba wishes to keep up with the rest of the world, they will either have to initiate a major overhaul of their economic system, or find some friends in high places...the Vatican perhaps?
Quote: "Even so, the United States and Cuba co-operate smoothly on practical issues, such as hurricane monitoring, coastguard matters, anti-drug work and patrolling the perimeter of the Guantanamo naval base. And the embargo has sprung leaks; in the past few years the United States had sold Cuba food worth up to $960m a year (though it insists on settlement in cash).
Question: They can cooperate on political matters, then why doesn't the United States lift the embargo?
Comment: Cuba and the United States have gotten into a pointless argument. The united States is still hung up on events that happened fifty years ago and won't lift the embargo. If the United States lifted the embargo, it would allow for resources to get to Cuba and I think that would help to stabilize all the issues going on in Cuba now. By lifting the embargo, the united states and Cuba could allow people to freely travel between the two countries which I think would solve the problems going on with illegal emigration from Cuba. Also, a lack of an embargo would boost the cuban economy because the cuban products could finally be exported to other countries. The Cubans would be able to solve their economic issues because of the cash flow.
Quote: "The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don't get ahead. Its those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners".
Question: If the brother of Fidel Castro, Raúl, died while he was still in power, would Cuba be able to reform back to communism, or will it crumble from rebellion. And was the reason that it was powerful for so long because of its leader, or the money they gained for tourism.
Comment: If Raúl died, the country would probably do fine and communism would go on for a couple years. The reason why is because that Fidel had many followers that knew every part of his idea of a good country and how he ran it. They also know what were the problems that he encountered, and probably learned how to fix the issues. Even now Raúl is a puppet under the string of these followers. The reason I would think that it would not fall apart on the elders is because that the country is very stable. Cuba has little to no issues of violence or organized crimes. The only reason I may oppose to my ideas is that the country is loosing some of the good things they had that made the country great. They are losing the public benefits that the country was known for, like there public health care because the job of being a doctor is being underpaid. A doctor gets about nineteen dollars a month compared to a merchant or a teacher, they would get about forty two dollars. So nobody wants to work as a doctor because its a lot more work for less money. Other than that, the country seems to be stable and as long as the followers of Fidel come into rule, the country will be strong. Though the country is still alive, the country would of lost communism a long time ago if they did not have the great amount of tourism in Cuba. The United States tried to keep people out of Cuba by not allowing a U.S citizen into the country, but with a student visa or with very simple conditions, anyone can venture into Cuba. Plus, like the rest of the Caribbean, it is very welcome to tourists and they like it there because these islands have clear oceans and tropical forests. If the country was completely closed off from these tourists, they would not get a good amount of income that they have now.
Quote: “He (Raul) is careful not to contradict his elder brother openly: his every speech contains several reverential quotes from Fidel, who despite his semi-retirement is consulted about big decisions.”
Question: Did Raul ever really take over Cuba? It seems as though despite Fidel’s medical condition he is still living vicariously though Raul. Once Fidel dies and Raul has total control will Cuba change drastically?
Comment: I think that Raul is being treated like a puppet or a messenger. Despite Fidel being ill, he still manages to keep control of his country through his brother. I also believe that once Fidel dies Raul will follow his instincts and make changes that he deems appropriate. Raul will finally be out of the shadow of his brother and will have an opportunity to make real changes. Raul has made a few minor positive changes since being in "rule" such as ending the 4am meetings, freed 130 political prisoners, and abolished several petty restrictions that pervaded Cuban's lives. I trust that Raul will make positive change once his brother is not alive to argue against him.
“The only sensible question outsiders need to ask is how they can best speed change in Cuba.” So, how can we best speed change in Cuba? It is obvious that change must be stimulated from the outside in. As the article states, there is no incipient “Cuban Spring,” no powerful opposition groups, and no anti-Communist revolutionary figure. So, the first step to successfully changing Cuba is to garner international support for the cause (cough, USA, cough). Latin America has decided to promote constructive reform rather than childishly shunning Cuba: the US (a potentially powerful partner in fostering change) should do the same rather than hurting the efforts of those countries willing to take a more mature, less destructive approach. Most compellingly for the US, it would do well to promote a transition to democracy and capitalism lest it be dragged into the potentially dangerous consequences of the Communist Party’s sudden collapse From this point, initiatives such as the deepwater port and free trade zone mentioned in the article should be the name of the game, as Cuba transitions to a more sustainable economy. Such projects would keep the transition controlled and safe. Once the transition is made, the death of the Castros would create an opportunity for a democratic government, facilitated by the international community. However, action would have to be taken to make sure it is completed before the death (and possible subsequent government collapse) to avoid a sudden, jarring transition of the kind that could have adverse effects on the economy and possibly create another ineffective state.
Quote: “The exiles’ powerful lobby in Miami and Washington, DC, maintains that going easy on the Castros, even when they are opening up, is a betrayal of American Ideals.”
Questions: The writer of the article goes on to say that this quote or idea is nonsense. Is this his personal opinion or does he have other sources / people to back up his statement?
Comment: I think that this comment can be very important, but to me the more important piece was the comment made directly after this sentence that claimed that this sentence was nonsense. The writer says that the United States has no interest to have normal relations with countries like Cuba, China, and Vietnam. The writers says that countries like those do not pose a threat to the United States, and I can agree with that, but I do wonder why the writer thinks that it is not in our interest to maintain good relations with these countries. I do not call having neutral relations with these countries good, but it sure as heck is not bad. I am confused to as why this writer things that going easy on the Castros is a betrayal to American ideals.
Quote: “The deal was that Fidel would give them security and meet their basic needs, and in return they would surrender their liberty. Many of those who rejected that deal emigrated…Others were jailed, often in appalling conditions, by Fidel’s police state…That deal began to break down…When Soviet subsidies suddenly dried up, Cuba’s fiscal deficit soared, to a peak of 33% of GDP. The government covered the gap by printing money…the average wage has dropped to just 25% of its value in 1989. A survey in Havana in 2000 found that 20% of the population was poor (defined as “at risk of being unable to satisfy their basic needs”); the national figure now is almost certainly higher.”
Question: Wait… So, Communism works by stealing away people’s freedoms and by “borrowing” other country’s money because it will go into national debt if it doesn’t?
Comment: I enjoy my freedoms. If I didn’t have some of them, I wouldn’t be able to write this down or say it – I could think it, but I couldn’t tell anyone. I also think that most Americans also like these freedoms, now lets just name one; the Fourth Amendment – protection from unreasonable search and seizure (The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.) Now, because of this, it is highly unlikely I will be woken up by a swarm of Police (such as the KGB in Soviet Russia) barging in through my door – that is if I follow the law, if you let the police have reasons to come find you, they will) and taken away to a prison in the night. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not be forced to labor in a work camp in the middle of nowhere because I thought we should have a democratic government. In Fidel’s Cuba, nobody had his or her rights, freedoms or liberties. He took them away and hid them in one of his mansions. Oh – and not to get distracted – isn’t communism where everyone gets the same? Then why does the ruling Dictator get a few acres of mansions on the west side of Havana? Anyway, Cubans replaced their rights with the state providing security and their basic needs. Now where does a government get the money to fund these programs? Well, they should get them through excessive taxation of their populous, but Cuba “borrowed” money from their friends in Soviet Russia to stay afloat in the Caribbean. So once the USSR became Russia, the Cuban economy tanked overnight. Fidel no longer had the money to pay for his “world-class” services, so he printed money. Lots and lots of money, and as we have learned here in the USA, that causes inflation. Cuban jobs are now worth 25% of what they were before the Soviet Union collapsed. So to answer my question, yes. Communism works in that way – or, at least it works that way in Cuba.
quote: "The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don't get ahead. It's those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners"
comment: Cuba has gone though times of prosperity and hardship under the erratic rule of Fidel Castro. He is by nature very egotistical and when he took power wanted to centralize power within himself and some exterior government. Now that the condition of Fidel's health is very poor he is giving temporary control of Cuba to his younger brother Raul. Raul is slowly trying to move from a communist government and economy to a capitalistic economy. In my opinion with the slumping economy this move is much too late and this change should have come to fruition years ago. Many of the public services such as health care education have disintegrated because of the economies inability to create enough money to make these services affordable. Many doctors and teachers no longer wish to work in Cuba simply because the salaries are much better outside of Cuba. Roberto Perez's son states, "the young people have nothing to do. They are desperate." With a capitalistic government they next generation such as the young people can do business with foreigners which could possibly help the economy get off its feet. The introduction to Raul Castro as leader is a blessing for the Cubans because he idealistically rational and wishes to expand the country to the rest of the world instead of sheltering it trying to maintain a communist rule. With the castro's exit looming and most revolutionaries dead, Cuba is on the move to a new government for better or for worse.
Question: Could this change to a capitalistic society benefit the Cubans or will they be unable to adapt and crumble with little government left to help the country recuperate?
Quote: "Fidel ruled Cuba through the unbridled exercise of his massive ego. He centralized all power in his own hands, imposed Utopian egalitarianism and performed frequent policy swerves. By all accounts, Raul is more modest, by nature a delegator and team-builder, more interested in getting things done than making speeches."
Question: If Cuba was to reform to a Capitalism under Raul Castro, who & what system will take over after Raul is no longer in charge? How does the country of Cuba plan to keep order with the United States, while still trying to possibly make a drastic change from Communism to Capitalism & from Fidel's to Raul's rule?
Comment: Over time, civilizations have took on different ways of how they run things. Leaders are switched, government policies are refined, governments are changed, goals are differentiated, and many other aspects that go along with the running of a country. Even though these civilizations throughout history make changes like these, it is not sure that it will prosper, and most of them don't. The country will most likely thrive at first, but will gradually start to corrupt. Sooner or later, the civilization will collapse, and there will be a need to start over. Doing so, there will have to be a new leader envisioning proper goals that people will follow for the next time period. This is basically what is happening with the country of Cuba. It is one of the many countries in the world that has stuck with communism, but is starting to move towards capitalism. In doing this, a new leader is coming about, and there will be a need for people to gain support for him. With Raul Castro now in charge, he has already introduced many new changes to the lifestyles of the Cuban citizens. Internal and external problems have to be dealt with still though. It is only a matter of time when we will see if Cuba will, or not, prosper under Raul.
Quote: "The church is urging the government to grant individuals more socio-economic freedoms, says Orlando Marquez, the cardinal's spokesman. It also argues for the recognition of freedoms of expression and organization."
Question: Throughout history, the church has always repressed its people into believing one thing. Why now that the church is telling the government that they should cut people slack, do they not listen?
Comments: This article really brought to my attention the ongoing conflict between the US and Cuba. The article explains the conflict between the US and Cuba by presenting many different stories and ideas to look at. I think its interesting that the government is being so repressive with their people. If the church is even saying that they are being to harsh on their people, there is definitely a problem. It surprises me that the government is being so difficult with their citizens. I also don't get why the US will get over their 50 year tantrum. The US hasn't repressed the government, they are effecting the citizens. America should go out of their way to help Cuba and end it. It would make it a lot easier on the Cuban-Americans that are trying to facilitate a relationship between the two countries.
Quote:"Violent crime is rare: a visitor can walk through the roughest parts of Havana with little fear." Comment I choose this quote because it reminded me of our school trip to China. One thing I asked my home stay was about how safe he felt in China, and he eagerly replied that he was very safe. This is a constant theme that I have noticed throughout Communist government is the safeness of the streets. It is clear why though, all the steps the government can do to watch over their people, it is only natural people follow the laws and not break them. This extreme safety is a strong plus of communism but it comes at the cost. Some people would automatically attribute this cost to be freedom of speech but upon closer look it would not seem this way. If the government is monitoring you to make sure that you don’t commit a crime that is separate from letting people say what they want, or protest. For example in the United States we passed a law allowing the government to monitor our phone calls to protect form potential terrorist attacks. However with this law in place to protect us, do I lose the ability to post anything I want on the internet? Can I still go hold a peaceful protest? The only logical thing you lose with constant monitoring from the government is your ability to be completely private. Now if left without checks and balances it is an easy path to travel to the loss of rights. On the other hand, due to the fact that Cuban government does monitor their people, everyone is safe a protected. It would be like walking through Compton in the middle of the night with no fear. All at the cost that some random guy you will never meet in your life might be listening to your phone call to makes sure you don’t kill anyone.
Question: How much are you willing to give up for the safety of you and your family from outside attackers?
“Raul's decision to let Cubans buy mobile phones and computers has probably had more impact on he or anyone else expected.”
Question: When will changes like the introduction of mobile phones and computers have a larger impact on Cuba? Although Raul is in control he seems to be lacking the authority to make improvements, improvements that are necessary for the well being of Cuba.
Comment:
With new technological advancements, Cuba will certainly change. The question is how much will the these changes positively influence Cuba. With bloggers like Yoani Sanchez people around the world will soon begin to see the changes that must be made in Cuba. The mobile phones and computers have also allowed for people to see footage of the police beatings on opposition activists, and other problems within Cuba. As Mr. Ponte stated “Change can only come through the Communist Party itself”, but what if an external force could provoke the Communist Party to give in to the oppositions ideas and allow Cuba to move in the direction of prosperity!
Quote: Resentment at the unfair advantages enjoyed by the party elite is echoed by Roberto Perez (not his real name), a 50- year old sports instructor living in Santa Clara: “ The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don’t get ahead. It’s those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners.”
Question: How is Cuba going to deal with their economic disaster with the embargo still in play? How is Raul going to change how Cuba is seen? How is he going to make his people more nationalistic? How is he going to deal with the inflation of food?
Comment: Cuba is attempting to make their way to a becoming a Capitalist country. The problem is that America has an embargo on Cuba. Cuba’s economy is very complex and has many problems they need to balance out. The government planned to fire 500,000 workers by March 2011 and 1.1 million workers by 2012. This has arguably been the most significant economic change since Raul took Fidel’s spot. Getting Cuba back on its feet is a lot more difficult than it seems. Many Cuban citizens say that their government pretends to pay them while they pretend to work. because the Cuban workers were pretending to work, the production level of products decreased dramatically. The life of Cuban citizens are becoming worse. Their average monthly pay is only 450 pesos or 19 dollars. Many of the younger people are leaving Cuba because they know that they can earn more money outside of Cuba. Because the pay is not good, basic services such as education and health care are not widely available. Food is also not as widely available because their failure in agriculture. Success in agriculture is important because the economy relies on the food output. The farmers are under pressure and need to step up their game. Inflation is being caused by their failure which is leading to a economic crisis. Food is a necessity for life and the cost of food rose by 20%. Cuba is starting to edge towards capitalism and starting to allow small businesses. I believe that Cuba could get back on their feet if small businesses like these allow people to make more money. If larger private businesses would open up and become successful, the way people think about Cuba would change. There would be higher pay and more professional workers would stay in Cuba rather than go to other countries to work. This would lead to better healthcare and education. President Raul is needs to keep taking risks and needs to get people more nationalistic. Dramatic actions need to be taken and if all goes well, Cuba may be able to get back on their feet.
Quote: "So most Cubans do not work very hard at their official jobs. People stand around chatting or conduct long telephone conversations with their mothers."
Comment: This quote pretty much sums up communism. In a communist rule there is no competition. Humans naturally crave competition and without it they tend to not care. The Cuban people are able to slack off during their job which isn't helping anyone. In a communist rule people do not have to work very hard because everyone makes the same amount of money. If one person works much harder than another they will both get the same reward. Because of this, everyone tends to not work very hard at all. When no one is working hard the economy tends to suffer. A leader can do one of two things. One, he can let the economy suffer. Or two, he can use violence to force people to work. This type of rule is what most communist rulers tend to use. It does not help anyone and ends up oppressing the people. Capitalism provides competition and does not violently oppress people. Capitalism would be a better government for the Cuban people.
Question: Will Cuba every have capitalism? If they do, will is work?
Quote: "But Raúl is no liberal. He and Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentine adventurer who died in Bolivia in 1967, were the orthodox Marxists among the leaders of Fidel's Rebel Army, the ragtag band of bearded guerrillas who toppled the corrupt, American-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista."
Question: America is all about growth and stability along with new ideas and possibilities, so why would we turn our backs to Cuba while maintaining a trade embargo(with exceptions) when we can open our arms and create opportunities for Americans in Cuba? (if they change their government system) Also, if we are so against Communism, why would we sponsor and support dictators like Batista and Pinochet where their actions are just as or worse than those of Guevara and the Castro's?
Comment: I am not trying to be an American Apologist, but in our past and continuing with fallacies of Obama, we have been extremely hypocritical by turning our heads away from Cuba when we really could be growing as a country if we opened up to them. I could see where that would be extremely difficult as America has backed dictatorships that go against Communist Cuba. Also, we have killed hundreds of freedom fighters that fought for a Cuba de Comunista, which both have angered the high-up Cubans. It would make sense to me to lift the embargo and show remorse for our past actions and try and clear up what has happened in the past.
Quote: “Fidel poured resources into social programs that reached from cradle to grave, providing free world-class health care and education as well as free pensions and funerals. Child Malnutrition and adult illiteracy were eliminated. Life expectancy and many other social indicators rose above those of the United States.”
Question: Why would Fidel put all this money, food, and service into this program when there isn’t going to be enough left to last for a long time, or even long enough for people to get jobs?
Comment: I understand why Fidel would spend so much time and money on this project, but I’m sure he knew that all of the supplies weren’t going to last forever. It doesn’t make sense that he would use all his money to help the country in poverty, but not save any for the future. The money that was spent was sent to everyone in the country to get “world-class health care and education”, but what happens when all the money is gone and Cuba is back in poverty? Fidel won’t have any money left to help everyone. All of the money that was spent to help the Cubans, did help them, it just didn’t last long enough for it to make an imprint on the country and actually create a substantial, long lasting economy and food source.
Quote: "The 50-year-old economic embargo of the island, which this newspaper has long opposed, has done more than anything else to keep the Castros in power. The abiding trope of the brothers’ propaganda is the need for “unity” against the aggressor over the water—the official justification for the lack of political freedom and for one-party rule"
Question: If the embargo has done nothing productive or benefited america in any way, and even helped the Castros stay in power, why not end the embargo to open up trade opportunities that could help stimulate the down spiraling economy as well as weaken support for the Castros.
Comment: The embargo placed on Cuba needs to be ended. It served it's purpose during the cold war and no longer has any further use. It only serves to perpetuate the stubbornness of our government and cut of ties to a potential ally and trading partner. The United States has wanted Castro out of the picture for a long time; multiple assassination attempts have been made on his life by the US government. Lifting the embargo would make the Cuba open to tourism and trade. This would help bolster the economy of Cuba and potentially the US. In the eyes of the citizens America is seen as a enormous power that has contributed to the failing economy and their less than standard way of life. There is resentment formed because of this and that resentment turns into support for the person who the United States opposes, Castro and his communistic ideals. The logic is so simple it can be put into a check list. Lift the embargo, encourage trade, business and tourism in both countries to help bolster both economies, and watch as the Castros lose support and eventually fade from power.
Quote: “ ‘The fundamental issue in Cuba is production,’ says Omar Everleny, a reformist economist. ‘Prices are high and wages are low because we don’t produce enough.’”
Comment: In my opinion, this quote sums up the inherent flaws in the implementation communism, especially within the current situation in Cuba. As this paragraph continues, it outlines the downsides of the lack of ability to achieve greater pay than what has been predefined by the government, and the ultimate lack of incentive for workers in Cuba. Workers spend most of their time idling at work and pilfer property from their jobs. Furthermore, once many communist investors in the Cuban economy, such as the soviets, collapsed and pulled their money away, the wages for most worker under the Cuban “corporation” dropped below a level sustainable for basic needs. This brought the first push towards capitalism, and the search for wealth from outside the communist bounds. At this point, Cuba opened its borders for capitalist trade with tourists. Since then, with the exception of a period in which Cuba found big investment from the newly socialist and thriving Venezuela, the desire for payment from sources outside the government has driven even those in integral positions in society, such as doctors and teachers, to find work in the cheap tourist market. This exiting of the workforce puts the communist Cuban economy at a standstill.
Question:
At what level of disconnection from the fruits of one’s labor does communism become completely ineffective?
Will Cuba be able to come out of this without a total economic collapse?
At what point is it too late for Cuba to turn back to Capitalism?
Quote: “Much of the resistance to change can be explained by bureaucratic inertia and the fear of loss of power and the perks that go with it. Many who feel that they have devoted their lives to the revolution re embittered by the idea that the reforms are opening up a route to acquiring money–and eventually power–outside the party.”
Question: If the Party and its members do not wish to lose power, and “no serious observer thinks a ‘Cuban spring’ is around the corner” because of the lack of wide-spread information technology, how can the government change?
Comment: Change in the Cuban government lies with the United States. As the article states, it is “time for America to get over its 50-year tantrum.” Though the United States’ policies may conflict with the Cuban government’s, it appears that the embargo on Cuba is no longer effective. In fact, the embargo is aiding the Castro brothers retain power by providing them with an enemy to rally the people around. In lifting the embargo, we will gain new trading grounds (with the newly established cuentapropismo businesses) and weaken the Cuban government. The American government is acting hypocritically, for it has pushed past government disputes with China and Vietnam and established valuable trading grounds. Cuba should be treated no differently.
Quote one: “But the main reason for the shortage of medical staff is low salaries. A woman who gave her name as Grisel says she worked as a family doctor for just $23 a month, but now earns $40 a month in an improvised craft shop in Havana. She has two small children. A pair children’s shoes costs $13. As a doctor ‘I faced a choice of buying shoes or eating’ ”
Quote two: “So most Cubans do not work very hard at their official jobs. People stand around chatting or conduct long telephone conversations with their mothers. They also routinely pilfer supplies for their workplace: that is what keeps the informal economy going.”
Comment: I chose these two quotes to show both sides of the story; one, being those who are pushed to work two jobs in order to feed her children, and the other being those who are slacking and always know they’ll get the same pay as everyone else. The second quote is made towards the slackers. This definitely shows that even in this “perfect society” there are ways that people trick the system, and still get paid all the same. Due to this, the Cubans are not pushed to work as hard, which in the long run makes some lazy. The fact that one of the only things that keeps the “informal economy” going, is their own employees stealing their goods from them is shocking. However, from a leader’s standpoint, if that’s the only thing holding up the economy, then he can’t really stop them, without forcing the Cuban’s down the path of recession even further. With the first quote, made by a doctor named, Grisel, she states that she “faced a choice of buying shoes or eating” for her children as well as herself. If Cuba wasn’t a Communist country, then she would not be faced with these issues since she would be paid her deserved wage, rather than getting what all others receive. While she is working hard to make sure that her two children are fed and healthy, others (not all, but some) are stealing from their jobs, and slacking off, yet these two types of people get paid the same for that single job. The fact that she gets paid a little less then doubled what others receive is only because she has taken the time out of her life to work even harder, and get a second job.
Question: At what point will the hard workers of Cuba be recognized for their work, and be paid more? How much further should they go in order to keep their families fed? How will those “slackers” be eliminated, or coerced back into working diligently?
Quote: “Raul’s decision to let Cubans buy mobile phones and computers has probably had more impact than he or anyone else expected.”
Comment: As the Economist stated, only 434,000 people in Cuba could connect to the Internet in 2010, and most of them were professionals. According to a study in 2005 by Seagate, 80% of people in the United States have access to the Internet. The Internet is a place where all types of people can go. From researching, to listening to music, to connecting with someone across the world, the Internet is a key aspect to our society. It is an efficient and convenient tool for people to reference, share, and contact people through out their daily lives. Without the Internet, people would not be able to promote their new business, email a friend or relative living across the world, or access any information they desire at the touch of a button. The Internet is a place where people of all ages, races, or classes, can express them-selves, and learn about new cultures. Raul’s decision to let Cubans buy computers and mobile phones that will let them access the Internet has such a great impact on Cuba because of all of the opportunities, influence, and knowledge the Internet can provide. It is logical that the Cuban government did not allow their citizens to use the Internet or own a computer in the past because of the negative aspects of having access to the Internet and their fear of revolts, however, the positives greatly out weigh the negatives. If Cuba stays on this track and continues to increase it’s internet users, it could have many positive effects on the economy by creating jobs to install Wi-Fi or allowing people to create and promote their own businesses to a global community. The fact that Raul allowed his people to buy mobile phones and computers is a huge step in the right direction for Cuba.
Question: How will the age of technology and the new access to the Internet continue to affect Cuba in the near future? Will people start to revolt like the government was afraid of because of this new access to information?
Quote: "The hurt suffered by the exiles was indeed great, but it should not supersede the national interest of the United States."
""'one of the things I've [Carlos Saldrigas, Miami businessman] learned on my trips to Cuba is that they're just like us: stubborn, proud, and even arrogant.""
Comment: Cuba is facing the economic consequences of the socialst rule under Fidel Castro. His state significantly reduced the incentive to work. To become financially sustainable, Cuba must increase their production and exports. As the regulation on small businesses begins to degrade, more entrepreneurial ambitions are plausible for the citizens of Cuba. However, success also necessitates outside help. Now that Cuba is slowly straying away from their socialist regime, the US should encourage it by allowing them business in our country. Lifting the embargo away from Cuba and the US will help the citizens and economy of Cuba. However, Cuba should comply by moving towards a full transition away from a socialism.
Question: If the US were to eradicate the embargo, what would the negative effects be?
Quote: “Health services and education are becoming harder to access and getting worse.”
Question: What is causing such a decrease in the health services in Cuba and how could this be improved in the future?
Comment: In Cuba there is a surplus of humanities graduates and a shortage of agronomists and engineers. Hospital care is falling apart in Cuba’s poor state. Many different drugs are in very short supply and some patients sometimes have to bring their own sheets. Cuba’s health services have declined so much that a woman who broke her arm couldn’t find any doctors at two clinics she visited. Research shows that 37,000 Cuban doctors aren’t even working in Cuba. They are studying in over 77 countries around the world. The Cuban government also offers many scholarships to study medicine, to help the country with its international prestige. When it comes down to the main problem, it seems the shortage of medical staff is low salaries. Many families struggle to feed their children or even buy shoes to wear. Raul Castro has taken steps to improve the health and education from what it is now by raising salaries. But Raul has not done much. Raul’s idea to phase out the libreta (supplies booklet) was removed at the party congress.
Question: Why, if the United States is so keen on helping other countries, and doesn’t seem to face any real threat from accepting Cuban trade, is the U.S. maintaining this embargo? Would the economic stimulus it provides Cuba not be worth whatever repercussions the legislators of America have gleaned?
Quote: “It’s a policy based on revenge. It sells well, but it has nothing to do with what’s going on in Cuba.”
Comment: It’s a very confusing situation. Early communist Cuba was quite well off, as there were many social programs in place which allowed for a period of prosperity. However, in 1989, Cuba’s financial and social wealth was plummeting. The Cuban government issued more pesos around 1989, leading to major inflation. The standard of living dropped, as well. Many buildings are structurally unsound, and some towns areas are hard pressed to locate any doctors in any close vicinity. There is some resentment towards the active government by Cubans both within its borders and in close lands, like Miami, Florida. Some protest the oppressive nature of the Cuban government, and others, mostly those outside of Cuba, protest the long-standing embargo.
However, it is not an easy task to remove either the long-standing embargo on the island nation, nor the Cuban government. Both would require an agreement to enact a change on the current system from among the responsible country’s legislators, the U.S. and Cuba, respectively.
Quote: "The second substantial achievement was that even as he expropriated almost all private property, Fidel poured resources into social programs that reached from cradle to grave, providing free world-class health care and education as well as free pensions and funerals."
Question: These reforms that have gone on in Cuba reflect socialist ideals. They are focused on spreading the wealth and making the conditions of the poor better at the expense of the rich. This is shown directly in the question. Does this also portray an evolving American social and political system as we change out healthcare and pensions laws?
Comment: I feel like this is a very slippery slope. On one hand there is the view that giving healthcare to people who can not afford it is beneficial to people (I am not saying that I disagree). On the other hand there is the perspective of someone that believes that if we focus more on the economy and political system as opposed to human rights and social aspects, then the economy and market will grow and then we can figure out what to do with healthcare. Personally, I agree more with the second option. I believe this for two reasons. The first, which I explained as I portrayed the perspective, is that by first focusing on the economy, we can grow our market and then implement social laws and freedoms such as healthcare that create a better society. Then second point is that by giving people free healthcare and pensions, we are creating a society that grows dependent on the government rather then themselves. This lack of motivation is the key reason that communism does not work. Naturally people are lazy. Communism takes the goods of a society filled with equality and preys on people's lazy tendencies and does not mix. Rather then give people free money and healthcare, we should create incentives for people to work and pay for their own healthcare. This is impossible if it is just handed to them.
Quotation: “The longer Raúl tarries over placing the economy on a sustainable footing, the greater the risk that a post-Castro leadership will be swept away on a tide of anger.”
Question: What is the best direction for Cuba, and where does it have the current Raúl / Castro co-op government ending up?
Comment: The two Castro’s need to be dealt with separately; although they still are on fairly good terms with each other and Raúl supposedly still consults Fidel for many large decisions, their ruling styles seem very different in purpose and effect.
Fidel had a much more controlling leadership, however he seems to have been much more popular as a leader, as he “poured resources into social programs that reached from cradle to grave, providing free world-class health care and education.” Because of his effort in all of these areas, “Life expectancy and many other social indicators rose above those of the United States.” These obviously made people love him. However, these were only because he had extra money from the Soviet subsidies, and it could not be maintained. The Soviet subsidies they relied heavily upon ran out—during a time called the Special Period—and this meant that the high quality of life and expensive social services could not be maintained. The country got into debt, started printing money to attempt a recovery, and the currency became inflated. The social services were stopped, wages dropped, and poverty struck heavily. This dropped Fidel’s popularity greatly.
Raúl seems to want to embrace the new Capitalism that they are embarking on, however as the bringing of this new economic system and the downfall of their society is generally coinciding; it seems that the people would either blame the problems on this new system, or wish to fix their problems before moving to the new system. Either way opposition is created against the new system and therefore against Raúl and the government as a whole.
Many signs of a 3rd world country show through in Cuba; this is very strange, as the quality of life not many years ago was supposedly above that of the US. The housing shortage, unrecovered hurricane damage, power cuts, economic inequality, low average wages, drop in education and health service quality, very low monthly wages, a low percentage of youth in the population, inflation, a new currency created because of inflation, bad credit, and falling population all suggest the country’s 3rd world quality of life, yet not too long ago none of this existed. “Many of [the vendors] are teachers, accountants and doctors who have left their jobs for a more lucrative, if precarious, life in the private sector.” Selling fruit is more profitable than being a doctor; it is obvious the country has trouble.
“This special report will argue that whatever the intentions of Cuba’s Communist leaders, they will find it impossible to prevent their island from moving to some form of capitalism. What is harder to predict is whether they will remain in control of the process of change, or whether it will lead to democracy.”
It's easy to forget that at the start of the revolution, there were genuinely driven revolutionaries that aimed to bring happiness and overall well being to the people of Cuba. And, in the early stages, they achieved just that—beneficial programs and reforms that boosted Cuba's literacy, healthcare, and quality of infrastructure. But there is no doubt that Castro and his circle of leaders were/are highly corrupted, and twisted the perhaps more ideal concepts of the revolutionaries into a military dictatorship. In that thought, it is arguable that communism is an impossible system, as demonstrated through the USSR, China, North Korea, and now with the steadily failing Cuba. In my opinion, the true reason for these inevitable collapses was not the economic system in itself, but the dictatorship or totalitarianism stance of their respective governments. In Cuba, the transition from a horrible leader, to slightly less horrible ones (Batista to Castro to Castro), has been the dictatorship in question. Although not truly comparable to other floundering Latin American countries, it is possible to draw a line between others that, while clearly capitalistic, are held by militant dictators that are almost certainly the reason behind their failure.
Capitalism is not synonymous with democracy, and neither is communism with dictatorship. The Economist does realize that, but their focus seems to be on the failings of the economic system, which is in truth, obviously not working out, but is it the main problem?
So, what would have a greater impact on the well being of the people of Cuba? A complete shift in power? In economic system? Both? Would a capitalist nation under a man like Raul manage to be successful? Or would the desire for control override the fundamentals of the system?
Quote: "The deal was that Fidel would give them security and meet their basic needs, and in return they would surrender their liberty. Many of those who rejected that deal emigrated…Others were jailed, often in appalling conditions, by Fidel’s police state."
Question: Fidel took away many basic need that cubans had but always provided them with a good education and health system. Raul and Fidel are both aware that the education and health services are decreasing. Raul says he is trying to make some improvements to Cuba, if this is the case why is education and health services doing so poorly?
Comment: Cubans are smart people and smart enough to realize that the education that their families were given is not the same as what they are being given now. It seems as if Fidel not being the main dictator in Cuba is a good thing but at the same time has the island truly improved under Raul? I think that America likes to help other countries after diaster. I dont oppose them helping other countries but why not help Cuba in small ways. Begin to trade with them and show signs of warming up to the island. They can provide a lot for us and especially since they are so close. Waiting for them to try and fix their problems on their own could take forever and in end cause disaster. So this time why don't we go and help before disaster strikes.
"The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don't get ahead. It's those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners."
Question:
If seems that Fidel still has some pull over Raul. If Fidel were to die would Raul be more willing to make the drastic changes that his brother opposses?
Comment:
I believe that there is no simple solution to the problems Cuba faces. Some say that if the United States removes the embargo or if Cuba were to become capitalist that conditions would be much better. Is this true? Potentially. But, I believe that the future failure or success lies in the hands of Raul Castro. I think that it is up to him to make the changes that his brother refused too. As of now it seems unlikely that the US will remove the embargo so Cuba needs to do as much as it can to fix it's internal problems. Raul Castro has begun to sacrifice some of the communist principles but he may need to do more. I strongly believe that the only way Cuba can get out of it's economical problem is by opening up to the international community. It seems that when China and Vietnam did so the flourished. Cuba can still keep some of it's communist principles (successful social services) but if they want to have improvement it seems like it might be in their best interest to open up to the world to allow economical growth.
Question: Why hasn’t America helped Cuba change from communism to capitalism?
Quote: “By October 2011, he says, some 338,000 people had requested a business license, 60% of whom were not leaving state jobs, suggesting that they were simply legalising a previous informal activity. As happens to small businesses the world over, many fail in the first year.”
Comment: It is obvious that the people of Cuba want change, and it seems to be the same for Cuba’s leader, Raúl Castro, but his intentions are still unclear. But I believe that Cuba needs a guide from communism to capitalism and America would be a great candidate. Cuba would become a capitalistic country and an ally to America. Whats to lose? Nothing. Why hasn’t this happened yet? This has not happened yet because the people of America can not let go of their fifty-one year grudge. I see no reason to continue the grudge because if America helped Cuba transform into a capitalistic country, the U.S.A. would be benefitting rather then our current standoff. To sum things up; Cuba is changing for the better and America needs to change for the better.
QQC - Question: Is the embargo on Cuba by the United states just because of the fact that they are communist? Or are there other hidden reasons?
Quote: "Unfortunately American policy towards Cuba resembles a 50-year tantrum, rather than a coherent plan for encouraging a transition to democracy."
Comment: I personally think that the United States should lift the embargo on Cuba, yet set up a program to help create a democracy. The embargo that we have placed on Cuba does not provide any incentive or motivation to create a democratic style of government. And I am not saying that creating a democratic government for Cuba is the best thing, but this is our stated intention, so why not at least attempt to do what we say?
Quote: “This special report will argue that whatever the intentions of Cuba’s Communist leaders, they will find it impossible to prevent their island from moving to some form of capitalism. What is harder to predict is whether they will remain in control of the process of change, or whether it will lead to democracy.”
Comment: Reform in Cuba, as stated in this article, is moving slowly. Nonetheless, it is still moving. Reform is inevitable but the true issue at hand is how and what Cuba will form into. Cuban people all fear and want different things. The article from the economist states, “There are obstacles to reform. Bureaucrats fear losing power and perks; ordinary people fear rising prices.” Many different opinions are being voiced and that of the average Cuban calls for change and success within the economic reforms. When asked to drive a passenger to a restaurant owned by a former prime minister a Cuban taxi driver said, “These people spend their whole time stopping us from getting ahead, and they are helping themselves.” And a 50-year-old Cuban stated that, “The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don’t get ahead. It’s those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners.”
Questions: What may statements similar to the taxi driver’s and the 50-year-od man’s lead to in Cuba’s political future?
Quote: That political machine explains why America has not established normal relations with Cuba, as it has done with China and, since 1995, with Vietnam.
Question: Why don’t the people dedicated to get rid of the Castros see that this embargo means nothing?
Comment: Much like what Joe Garcia had said a policy based on revenge sells well, but does nothing to Cuba. The United States embargo has done and still does nothing to Cuba, but gives the government a stronger grip on the people. The government gain support by blaming the U.S for its problems. This embargo does not achieve its purpose and should not be set. No politician should fear this political machine.
Quote: "When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, many outsiders believed that communism in Cuba was doomed."
Question: If outsiders (the United States) believed that communism was on the fall, why didn't they release the embargo or make other preparations for Cuba in it's weakened state?
Comment: In 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed, I would believe that the confidence in the power of capitalism would have moved the U.S. to release the embargo with Cuba. But as a counter to that argument, hurt feelings and tensions with Cuba after the Cold War was probably the reason in which the United States didn't go out of their way to deal with Cuba. But now although the communist party is still in power it is crumbling, which I believe means that now the United States has a greater chance to make an impact on Cuba as a whole. In this age although Cuba is still reluctant to change we may see a communist Cuba fall and out of those ashes a new country rise.
Quote: For one, the government seems undecided what to do about foreign investment, a key element in the rapid growth in Vietnam and China. It has cancelled some of the joint ventures it had signed (often in haste) during the Special Period, and such new agreements as it is entering are almost exclusively with companies from Venezuela, China and Brazil. Odebrecht, a Brazilian conglomerate, has reached an agreement under which it will run a large sugar mill in Cienfuegos for ten years. Many foreign companies are keen to invest in Cuba but are put off by the government’s insistence on keeping a majority stake and its history of arbitrary policy change.
Question: Is attracting foreign investment more important than improving local infrastructure and small business?
Comment: Cuba could soon be transitioning from a command economy to a capitalist economy. China and Vietnam are two other countries that are in similar transformations. As a result of new economic policy, China and Vietnam have enjoyed great success. Much of their success can be attributed to the number of foreign investors that pump money into their economies. Would the same strategy work in Cuba? Applying similar methods as the Chinese and Vietnamese may not yield the same results for Cuba.
The biggest difference between Cuba and China is population. Therefore, Cuba's labor force is much smaller than that of China. It's hard to imagine Cuba attracting foreign businesses for cheap labor, which fuels a large portion of China's economy. Although Cuba is beginning to receive attention from businesses in Brazil, Venezuela, and China, they may struggle to attract attention from the West.
It may be wise to focus on developing the internal Cuban economy. Education and health care are currently lacking. Both are vital to the country's development. The country also needs to lift some current regulations on small business. It is nearly impossible for an entrepreneur to grow a business under the current economic policy in Cuba. Improving on current infrastructure and economic policy would lead to the development of strong business in Cuba. Once the businesses are strong locally, the foreign investors will come. It will be a matter of time before we see the potential of a post-Castro Cuban economy.
Quote: “Mr. Hernandez believes that the economic reforms have far-reaching political implications. If they are to work, there will have to be decentralization, the rule of law and a reduction in the power of the state. To achieve this, the party will have to change its ways. At a closed party conference held on January 28th and the 29th, Raul Castro reiterated his calls for a separation between party and government.”
Comment: The Cuban economy has been suffering from the decrease in production agricultural and industrial products. It was recorded that the agricultural and industrial products had dramatically lowered in the last few years in comparison to fifty years past. In 1991, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the withdrawal of their funds caused Cuba’s economy to fall. Castro quickly opened Cuba to foreign investments, tourism, the use of the dollar, and legalized small businesses to save the economy from collapsing. However, the assistance from Venezuela by providing Cuba with oil for the services of doctors and security adviser improved the economy, and Castro reversed his course. As a result of Fidel Castro’s paternalist state, the citizens had a lack of motivation to work. Most Cubans did work hard at their jobs, and they were unoccupied at work. The recent financial crisis of 2007, led to the withdrawal of Venezuelan aid, and left the economy weak. If Cuba manages to push for Capitalism it will surely boost the economy.
Question: Will a swift return to capitalism save the Cuban economy from a complete collapse?
Quotation: "Cuba is a declining corner of a rising, and a largely democratic, Latin America. After 50 years in which it has been an exception, the island's destiny increasingly resembles that of its region. It is high time that those on both sides of the Florida strait recognize that. Half a century of failure is evidence enough to support a change of policy."
Question: WHY doesn't Cuba support a change of policy?
Comment: Obviously, it would benefit Cuba, America, and all of Cuba's other benefactors greatly if Cuba were to switch from communism to capitalism. A looming reason for the government resisting the thought of switching to a capitalist society is that the sudden switch would wreak havoc on the society and would result in a civil war. The government and the country's civilians as a whole will need time to adjust to the major switch and all that it entails. Cuba, as proven in the past, has not been the best at sustaining themselves and making the right decisions when the situation boils down. What would most likely happen if we were to switch to capitalism would be that the economy would almost or entirely collapse, and the civilians would lose a sense of order. I think just the THOUGHT of switching policies would be enough to set anyone on edge. The Cubans need an outside force that knows what they are doing and has a second opinion on things. The Americans would obviously be the first option because of our history and involvement with them in the past. However, America needs to overcome its "50 year tantrum" before it can even think about making any decisions pertaining to a country in it's entirety. But, when that has taken place, and we have finally realized what good we could be servicing the world, we can change a great deal. The article states, "The exiles' powerful lobby in Miami and Washington DC maintains that going easy on the Castros, even when they are opening up, is a betrayal of American ideals." This shows just how naive and immature the government can be, and even when Cuba is almost begging us to come and help them, we will stop and think about it and take into account all of the economic turmoil they have established over the past 50 years.
Quote: "Raul seems to be acutely conscious that Cuban communism is living on borrowed time."
Question: What actions will Raul take, if Castro were to die?
Comment: The Cuban economy, agriculture production, and industrial products have been decreasing in the past several years in Cuba. Castro had opened up Cuba for foreign investments and tourism to help boost the economy earlier in Cuban history, so now they are left with the same problem should they re-open Cuba and cut off the trade Embargo and help reboost there economy or stay closed off? I think they should reopen the country, because it not only helps America but it also helps out Cuba. It will help out America by expanding our trade and boosting our economy while pushing capitialism upon Cuba and increasing there economy extremely. It is in favor for both sides if the Embargos trade is gotten rid of, so why don't we help out Cuba (fulfill our "American Aide" reputation) help boost there economy and change there political views, while bettering America's economy too.
quote: Fidel Castro managed to embody cuban nationalism as the David defying the American goliath and its economic embargo.
question: Why did we keep this trade embargo in place when all it did was let castro rally his people against America?
comment: This trade embargo against Cuba has not worked and in my opinion should be abolished. While one third of Cubans slip into poverty Castro masked his own inability to improve his country's economy by scapegoating the useless U.S. trade embargo. All we are doing by keeping this embargo in effect is letting the Castros blame America for the problems they create. An embargo is meant to hurt the government not the citizens but in this case it did exactly the oposite. It let the government rally the hurt citizensagainst us and further damaged relations between our two countries. It is extremely important, in the midst of the power changing hands in Cuba, to repair relationships as not to breed more hatred for America as well as possibly another Fidel Castro
Quote: "Under Raul Castro Cuba has begun the journey towards capitalism. But it will take a decade and a political battle to complete".
Question: Yes, Raul is in power. But, can he really spark the switch from communism to capitalism with his brother Fidel still behind his back?
Comment: Raul is seen as a new leader who has prosperous plans for Cuba and looks to turn the Island around. But, Fidel is still behind Raul watching his every move, not to mention nobody is really sure how much power Raul really has. For all we know Fidel could be running the country behind everyones back and his brother is just his puppet. WIth Fidel still in the picture A switch from communism to Capitalism seems extremely unlikely until either Fidel passes or he comes to the realization that Cuba will be lost and if no switch is made Cuba will be in a major crisis. Raul understands what has to be done to revive Cuba and with Fidel still behind him he is acting as a weight on Raul's back and if this continues any longer it may be too late.
Quote: “In much of Cuba it has become hard to find anyone under 40 with a good word to say for the system. Mr. Pérez’s son, a teacher, plans to leave Cuba as soon as he can. “The young people here have nothing to do. They are desperate,” says his father. That is why the economic reforms have to succeed.”
Question: If the government loses all support from the people, will it still be able to maintain the current form of government, or will the he government have to change according to the people’s needs and desire? Will the younger generation be passionate enough to stand up against the government and voice their ideas?
Comment: As the conditions of life in Cuba continue to fall, the government is shifting to allow a form of what many would see to be capitalism. Private businesses are popping up around the country and contain about forty percent of the country’s workforce. Meanwhile, people in jobs provided by the government are losing the sense of security that they once felt. Wages continue to fall for government employees and vital services of the country that were so highly praised at one time are beginning to crash. The government initially had support from the people after installing a strong sense of nationalism and pride to the country. They supported everything that the government did. But that generation is current close to having an average age of about seventy years old and many of its members have died off. The younger generations were born into Cuba and do not have the same sense in pride in the country. In fact, a large portion of the younger generation does not support the current government full heartedly. But, the embargo still placed on Cuba by the United States is not assisting the downfall in the government in anyway. By maintaining the embargo, the United States has allowed the younger generation to be disconnected from the rest of the world and have a weaker voice in the society. The embargo has disconnected Cuba from a majority of modern technology and kept it from receiving many modern day items that could have the possibility of inspiring the younger generations. The Arab Spring was brought about through the uniting the younger generations, partly through the use of social media. If the United States truly wants to bring down the current ruling party of Cuba, lifting the embargo would most likely unite the younger generation and allow them to move forward towards a common goal.
Quote: “When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, man outsiders believed that communism in Cuba was doomed. Massive Soviet subsidies and military aid for Cuba had offset the economic embargo imposed by the United States in 1960...In response, Fidel...opened the island to foreign investment and mass tourism and legalized small family businesses and the use of the dollar. But then he found a new benefactor in Venezuela’sHugo Chávez.” Comment: The only way Cuba had not completely collapsed as a country, void of incentive and monetary gain, was to rely on large subsidies from the also communistic U.S.S.R.. However, once that doomed country fell, Fidel Castro realized his small country was doomed as well. In order to prevent a fate similar to that of the Soviet Union, he would have to make changes to his regime. He started to make Cuba’s economy more capitalistic, to accept U.S. currency, and to allow tourists from other countries into Cuba. He knew that he had to make Cuba more like the U.S., and less like the Soviet Union to avoid collapse. Luckily for him (and unluckily for his citizens), Hugo Chávez of Venezuela started to provide those subsidies to Cuba again. So, he reversed all the positive changes again, because his Country no longer had to be financially viable. Question: How has the (oil) economy of Venezuela changed since these subsidies where put in place?
Quote: “This special report will argue that whatever the intentions of Cuba’s Communist leaders, they will find it impossible to prevent their island from moving to some form of capitalism. What is harder to predict is whether they will remain in control of the process of change, or whether it will lead to democracy.”
Question: What is a potential future for Cuba? Is change awaiting the Cuban people?
Comment: The world is changing-rapidly. There are so many new technologies out there, so many new cures for disease being found- the world is in a transition period. I think that some of the Cuban people are beginning to realize that. The author of this article displays his view on the situation by simply stating, “Cubans are unhappy….” Under the communistic government and dictatorship of the Castros. The Cubans see that their healthcare systems, technologies, and, frankly, structures of government are outdated and not up to par with the rest of the world. Because of their poor economy, shrinking population, and lifestyle in general, I don’t think that it’s unreasonable to see a revolution brewing in Cuba. I think that this is because the Cubans are eager for a democratic system of government, but most of all they are awaiting change. Reform. Something and someone that can make them feel more connected to the rest of the world. I think that this will/has been triggered by Fidel Castro’s resign and just by the rapid pace of our changing world. Although the leaders of Cuba will try and keep communism and dictatorship as Cuba’s chief form of government, I think that the Cubans will have a strong case to make if they do revolt.
Quote: Information technology has opened a crack in the Cuban monolith, but it is a small one.
Question: Why is there no sign of a Cuban Spring?
Comment: Although it is not the main focus of the article I found it Interesting that the author even mentioned a “Cuban spring.” It seems odd that the Cuban people are either against or unable to follow the recent trend against oppressive governments around the world. I believe many of the rebellions in the Arab spring were due to the internet, access to social media and true information. I hypothesis that the Cuban Regime has done a good job at restricting media although they do allow computers and mobile phones. The author of the article claims that “Raul’s decision to let Cubans buy mobile phones and computers has probably had more of an impact than anyone had expected” while he also states that out of a recent survey of 190 cubans over 90 percent of them only have access to government media. I feel that the reason a Cuban spring is not even possible is because of the Regimes proficient job in censoring media even while allowing computers and mobile phones. I also wonder if the majority of Cubans had access to more real information regarding their government if the situation would change.
Quote: "And the Cuban leadership is gerontocratic: Fidel is 85, Raul is 80, and the average age of the Politiburo is over 70. The Historicos, as those who fought in the revolution are known, are dying off.
Comment: The newest generation of cubans seem not to be willing uphold the society their forefathers created. Once the Castro brothers, and the generation that rose with them, are gone, it will open up a new opportunity for dialogue without the bias and tensions of the Cold War. With enough time, I would hope that Cubans could crack open the isolationist cocoon that has surrounded them for decades and that Americans will begin to see their neighbor island not as the Cuba that almost caused Global Nuclear War, but as business opportunities and as regional allies. In the meantime, we should not be focused on what kinds of reforms Raul Castro adopts, but rather hope that the successors to the aging revolutionaries will not inherit the same stubborn resistance to change. The Cold War is over, the Soviets are gone, and it is time that our grievances disappear with them.
Question: How long will it take America to break free from the almost involuntary urge to treat communist or non-democratic countries as threats and as enemies?
Quote: “Fidel ruled Cuba through the unbridled exercise of his massive ego.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What one factor is most responsible for the horrible state that Cuba is in?
Comment:
Throughout history there have been many collapses of civilizations, unsuccessful missions, unstable governments, un happy people, etc. In many of these situations total blame is put solely on the leader of the country. For example ancient Roman history is looked at by the reign of each emperor. Each time Rome began to fall or become in a bad state one can look to see who the emperor was during that time and how they were responsible. While the emperor may have been to blame, was there another source or reason more at fault? What outside forces were present that caused such issues?
These questions can be related to the current crisis in Cuba. Much of society is solely looking to Fidel for all of the problems. However, how much of it is to blame on the United States? The United States’s embargo against Cuba may be keeping the Castro’s in power and furthering Cuba down the path it is currently on. In addition, this complete isolation really hurts economy and limits so much, such as trade. While for a very long time it has been clear that Cuba has not an equal or fair government the United States may only be contributing to that.
Quote: "The trickiest reform of all will be unifying the two currencies, by devaluing the CUC and revaluing the peso. It would help if Cuba were a member of the IMF and the World Bank and had access to international credit, but so far the government has shown no interest in joining... for devaluation to provide a stimulus, rather than just generating inflation, the economy would have to be far more flexible."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What does Cuba plan to do when it runs out of monetary options, and is left with a failing communist economy with some capitalist aspects that make no real difference to how the nation controls its people's money? How can it continue to survive without making reforms or without reaching for to outside help?
Comment: Cuba has gotten itself into one hell of an economic pickle. They are essentially relying on outside subsidies to supplement their GDP just so they can feed their people through their vastly inefficient agricultural system, Acopio. They have two currencies, one of which is competing with America, a vastly superior capitalist economy known for extremely rapid growth. In addition, besides their subsidies, they have cut themselves off from any kind of outside support. Their people are tired of the vast inequality and their youth are rapidly fleeing the country, leaving a workforce of old men and uneducated farmers. If Cuba wishes to keep up with the rest of the world, they will either have to initiate a major overhaul of their economic system, or find some friends in high places...the Vatican perhaps?
Quote: "Even so, the United States and Cuba co-operate smoothly on practical issues, such as hurricane monitoring, coastguard matters, anti-drug work and patrolling the perimeter of the Guantanamo naval base. And the embargo has sprung leaks; in the past few years the United States had sold Cuba food worth up to $960m a year (though it insists on settlement in cash).
ReplyDeleteQuestion: They can cooperate on political matters, then why doesn't the United States lift the embargo?
Comment: Cuba and the United States have gotten into a pointless argument. The united States is still hung up on events that happened fifty years ago and won't lift the embargo. If the United States lifted the embargo, it would allow for resources to get to Cuba and I think that would help to stabilize all the issues going on in Cuba now. By lifting the embargo, the united states and Cuba could allow people to freely travel between the two countries which I think would solve the problems going on with illegal emigration from Cuba. Also, a lack of an embargo would boost the cuban economy because the cuban products could finally be exported to other countries. The Cubans would be able to solve their economic issues because of the cash flow.
Quote: "The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don't get ahead. Its those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners".
ReplyDeleteQuestion: If the brother of Fidel Castro, Raúl, died while he was still in power, would Cuba be able to reform back to communism, or will it crumble from rebellion. And was the reason that it was powerful for so long because of its leader, or the money they gained for tourism.
Comment: If Raúl died, the country would probably do fine and communism would go on for a couple years. The reason why is because that Fidel had many followers that knew every part of his idea of a good country and how he ran it. They also know what were the problems that he encountered, and probably learned how to fix the issues. Even now Raúl is a puppet under the string of these followers. The reason I would think that it would not fall apart on the elders is because that the country is very stable. Cuba has little to no issues of violence or organized crimes. The only reason I may oppose to my ideas is that the country is loosing some of the good things they had that made the country great. They are losing the public benefits that the country was known for, like there public health care because the job of being a doctor is being underpaid. A doctor gets about nineteen dollars a month compared to a merchant or a teacher, they would get about forty two dollars. So nobody wants to work as a doctor because its a lot more work for less money. Other than that, the country seems to be stable and as long as the followers of Fidel come into rule, the country will be strong.
Though the country is still alive, the country would of lost communism a long time ago if they did not have the great amount of tourism in Cuba. The United States tried to keep people out of Cuba by not allowing a U.S citizen into the country, but with a student visa or with very simple conditions, anyone can venture into Cuba. Plus, like the rest of the Caribbean, it is very welcome to tourists and they like it there because these islands have clear oceans and tropical forests. If the country was completely closed off from these tourists, they would not get a good amount of income that they have now.
Quote: “He (Raul) is careful not to contradict his elder brother openly: his every speech contains several reverential quotes from Fidel, who despite his semi-retirement is consulted about big decisions.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Did Raul ever really take over Cuba? It seems as though despite Fidel’s medical condition he is still living vicariously though Raul. Once Fidel dies and Raul has total control will Cuba change drastically?
Comment: I think that Raul is being treated like a puppet or a messenger. Despite Fidel being ill, he still manages to keep control of his country through his brother. I also believe that once Fidel dies Raul will follow his instincts and make changes that he deems appropriate. Raul will finally be out of the shadow of his brother and will have an opportunity to make real changes. Raul has made a few minor positive changes since being in "rule" such as ending the 4am meetings, freed 130 political prisoners, and abolished several petty restrictions that pervaded Cuban's lives. I trust that Raul will make positive change once his brother is not alive to argue against him.
“The only sensible question outsiders need to ask is how they can best speed change in Cuba.”
ReplyDeleteSo, how can we best speed change in Cuba?
It is obvious that change must be stimulated from the outside in. As the article states, there is no incipient “Cuban Spring,” no powerful opposition groups, and no anti-Communist revolutionary figure. So, the first step to successfully changing Cuba is to garner international support for the cause (cough, USA, cough). Latin America has decided to promote constructive reform rather than childishly shunning Cuba: the US (a potentially powerful partner in fostering change) should do the same rather than hurting the efforts of those countries willing to take a more mature, less destructive approach. Most compellingly for the US, it would do well to promote a transition to democracy and capitalism lest it be dragged into the potentially dangerous consequences of the Communist Party’s sudden collapse
From this point, initiatives such as the deepwater port and free trade zone mentioned in the article should be the name of the game, as Cuba transitions to a more sustainable economy. Such projects would keep the transition controlled and safe. Once the transition is made, the death of the Castros would create an opportunity for a democratic government, facilitated by the international community. However, action would have to be taken to make sure it is completed before the death (and possible subsequent government collapse) to avoid a sudden, jarring transition of the kind that could have adverse effects on the economy and possibly create another ineffective state.
Quote: “The exiles’ powerful lobby in Miami and Washington, DC, maintains that going easy on the Castros, even when they are opening up, is a betrayal of American Ideals.”
ReplyDeleteQuestions: The writer of the article goes on to say that this quote or idea is nonsense. Is this his personal opinion or does he have other sources / people to back up his statement?
Comment: I think that this comment can be very important, but to me the more important piece was the comment made directly after this sentence that claimed that this sentence was nonsense. The writer says that the United States has no interest to have normal relations with countries like Cuba, China, and Vietnam. The writers says that countries like those do not pose a threat to the United States, and I can agree with that, but I do wonder why the writer thinks that it is not in our interest to maintain good relations with these countries. I do not call having neutral relations with these countries good, but it sure as heck is not bad. I am confused to as why this writer things that going easy on the Castros is a betrayal to American ideals.
Quote: “The deal was that Fidel would give them security and meet their basic needs, and in return they would surrender their liberty. Many of those who rejected that deal emigrated…Others were jailed, often in appalling conditions, by Fidel’s police state…That deal began to break down…When Soviet subsidies suddenly dried up, Cuba’s fiscal deficit soared, to a peak of 33% of GDP. The government covered the gap by printing money…the average wage has dropped to just 25% of its value in 1989. A survey in Havana in 2000 found that 20% of the population was poor (defined as “at risk of being unable to satisfy their basic needs”); the national figure now is almost certainly higher.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Wait… So, Communism works by stealing away people’s freedoms and by “borrowing” other country’s money because it will go into national debt if it doesn’t?
Comment: I enjoy my freedoms. If I didn’t have some of them, I wouldn’t be able to write this down or say it – I could think it, but I couldn’t tell anyone. I also think that most Americans also like these freedoms, now lets just name one; the Fourth Amendment – protection from unreasonable search and seizure (The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.) Now, because of this, it is highly unlikely I will be woken up by a swarm of Police (such as the KGB in Soviet Russia) barging in through my door – that is if I follow the law, if you let the police have reasons to come find you, they will) and taken away to a prison in the night. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not be forced to labor in a work camp in the middle of nowhere because I thought we should have a democratic government. In Fidel’s Cuba, nobody had his or her rights, freedoms or liberties. He took them away and hid them in one of his mansions. Oh – and not to get distracted – isn’t communism where everyone gets the same? Then why does the ruling Dictator get a few acres of mansions on the west side of Havana? Anyway, Cubans replaced their rights with the state providing security and their basic needs. Now where does a government get the money to fund these programs? Well, they should get them through excessive taxation of their populous, but Cuba “borrowed” money from their friends in Soviet Russia to stay afloat in the Caribbean. So once the USSR became Russia, the Cuban economy tanked overnight. Fidel no longer had the money to pay for his “world-class” services, so he printed money. Lots and lots of money, and as we have learned here in the USA, that causes inflation. Cuban jobs are now worth 25% of what they were before the Soviet Union collapsed. So to answer my question, yes. Communism works in that way – or, at least it works that way in Cuba.
quote: "The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don't get ahead. It's those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners"
ReplyDeletecomment: Cuba has gone though times of prosperity and hardship under the erratic rule of Fidel Castro. He is by nature very egotistical and when he took power wanted to centralize power within himself and some exterior government. Now that the condition of Fidel's health is very poor he is giving temporary control of Cuba to his younger brother Raul. Raul is slowly trying to move from a communist government and economy to a capitalistic economy. In my opinion with the slumping economy this move is much too late and this change should have come to fruition years ago. Many of the public services such as health care education have disintegrated because of the economies inability to create enough money to make these services affordable. Many doctors and teachers no longer wish to work in Cuba simply because the salaries are much better outside of Cuba. Roberto Perez's son states, "the young people have nothing to do. They are desperate." With a capitalistic government they next generation such as the young people can do business with foreigners which could possibly help the economy get off its feet. The introduction to Raul Castro as leader is a blessing for the Cubans because he idealistically rational and wishes to expand the country to the rest of the world instead of sheltering it trying to maintain a communist rule. With the castro's exit looming and most revolutionaries dead, Cuba is on the move to a new government for better or for worse.
Question: Could this change to a capitalistic society benefit the Cubans or will they be unable to adapt and crumble with little government left to help the country recuperate?
Quote: "Fidel ruled Cuba through the unbridled exercise of his massive ego. He centralized all power in his own hands, imposed Utopian egalitarianism and performed frequent policy swerves. By all accounts, Raul is more modest, by nature a delegator and team-builder, more interested in getting things done than making speeches."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: If Cuba was to reform to a Capitalism under Raul Castro, who & what system will take over after Raul is no longer in charge? How does the country of Cuba plan to keep order with the United States, while still trying to possibly make a drastic change from Communism to Capitalism & from Fidel's to Raul's rule?
Comment: Over time, civilizations have took on different ways of how they run things. Leaders are switched, government policies are refined, governments are changed, goals are differentiated, and many other aspects that go along with the running of a country. Even though these civilizations throughout history make changes like these, it is not sure that it will prosper, and most of them don't. The country will most likely thrive at first, but will gradually start to corrupt. Sooner or later, the civilization will collapse, and there will be a need to start over. Doing so, there will have to be a new leader envisioning proper goals that people will follow for the next time period. This is basically what is happening with the country of Cuba. It is one of the many countries in the world that has stuck with communism, but is starting to move towards capitalism. In doing this, a new leader is coming about, and there will be a need for people to gain support for him. With Raul Castro now in charge, he has already introduced many new changes to the lifestyles of the Cuban citizens. Internal and external problems have to be dealt with still though. It is only a matter of time when we will see if Cuba will, or not, prosper under Raul.
Quote: "The church is urging the government to grant individuals more socio-economic freedoms, says Orlando Marquez, the cardinal's spokesman. It also argues for the recognition of freedoms of expression and organization."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Throughout history, the church has always repressed its people into believing one thing. Why now that the church is telling the government that they should cut people slack, do they not listen?
Comments: This article really brought to my attention the ongoing conflict between the US and Cuba. The article explains the conflict between the US and Cuba by presenting many different stories and ideas to look at. I think its interesting that the government is being so repressive with their people. If the church is even saying that they are being to harsh on their people, there is definitely a problem. It surprises me that the government is being so difficult with their citizens. I also don't get why the US will get over their 50 year tantrum. The US hasn't repressed the government, they are effecting the citizens. America should go out of their way to help Cuba and end it. It would make it a lot easier on the Cuban-Americans that are trying to facilitate a relationship between the two countries.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQuote:"Violent crime is rare: a visitor can walk through the roughest parts of Havana with little fear."
ReplyDeleteComment I choose this quote because it reminded me of our school trip to China. One thing I asked my home stay was about how safe he felt in China, and he eagerly replied that he was very safe. This is a constant theme that I have noticed throughout Communist government is the safeness of the streets. It is clear why though, all the steps the government can do to watch over their people, it is only natural people follow the laws and not break them. This extreme safety is a strong plus of communism but it comes at the cost. Some people would automatically attribute this cost to be freedom of speech but upon closer look it would not seem this way. If the government is monitoring you to make sure that you don’t commit a crime that is separate from letting people say what they want, or protest. For example in the United States we passed a law allowing the government to monitor our phone calls to protect form potential terrorist attacks. However with this law in place to protect us, do I lose the ability to post anything I want on the internet? Can I still go hold a peaceful protest? The only logical thing you lose with constant monitoring from the government is your ability to be completely private. Now if left without checks and balances it is an easy path to travel to the loss of rights. On the other hand, due to the fact that Cuban government does monitor their people, everyone is safe a protected. It would be like walking through Compton in the middle of the night with no fear. All at the cost that some random guy you will never meet in your life might be listening to your phone call to makes sure you don’t kill anyone.
Question: How much are you willing to give up for the safety of you and your family from outside attackers?
Quote:
ReplyDelete“Raul's decision to let Cubans buy mobile phones and computers has probably had more impact on he or anyone else expected.”
Question:
When will changes like the introduction of mobile phones and computers have a larger impact on Cuba? Although Raul is in control he seems to be lacking the authority to make improvements, improvements that are necessary for the well being of Cuba.
Comment:
With new technological advancements, Cuba will certainly change. The question is how much will the these changes positively influence Cuba. With bloggers like Yoani Sanchez people around the world will soon begin to see the changes that must be made in Cuba. The mobile phones and computers have also allowed for people to see footage of the police beatings on opposition activists, and other problems within Cuba. As Mr. Ponte stated “Change can only come through the Communist Party itself”, but what if an external force could provoke the Communist Party to give in to the oppositions ideas and allow Cuba to move in the direction of prosperity!
Quote: Resentment at the unfair advantages enjoyed by the party elite is echoed by Roberto Perez (not his real name), a 50- year old sports instructor living in Santa Clara: “ The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don’t get ahead. It’s those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: How is Cuba going to deal with their economic disaster with the embargo still in play? How is Raul going to change how Cuba is seen? How is he going to make his people more nationalistic? How is he going to deal with the inflation of food?
Comment: Cuba is attempting to make their way to a becoming a Capitalist country. The problem is that America has an embargo on Cuba. Cuba’s economy is very complex and has many problems they need to balance out. The government planned to fire 500,000 workers by March 2011 and 1.1 million workers by 2012. This has arguably been the most significant economic change since Raul took Fidel’s spot. Getting Cuba back on its feet is a lot more difficult than it seems. Many Cuban citizens say that their government pretends to pay them while they pretend to work. because the Cuban workers were pretending to work, the production level of products decreased dramatically. The life of Cuban citizens are becoming worse. Their average monthly pay is only 450 pesos or 19 dollars. Many of the younger people are leaving Cuba because they know that they can earn more money outside of Cuba. Because the pay is not good, basic services such as education and health care are not widely available. Food is also not as widely available because their failure in agriculture. Success in agriculture is important because the economy relies on the food output. The farmers are under pressure and need to step up their game. Inflation is being caused by their failure which is leading to a economic crisis. Food is a necessity for life and the cost of food rose by 20%. Cuba is starting to edge towards capitalism and starting to allow small businesses. I believe that Cuba could get back on their feet if small businesses like these allow people to make more money. If larger private businesses would open up and become successful, the way people think about Cuba would change. There would be higher pay and more professional workers would stay in Cuba rather than go to other countries to work. This would lead to better healthcare and education. President Raul is needs to keep taking risks and needs to get people more nationalistic. Dramatic actions need to be taken and if all goes well, Cuba may be able to get back on their feet.
Quote: "So most Cubans do not work very hard at their official jobs. People stand around chatting or conduct long telephone conversations with their mothers."
ReplyDeleteComment: This quote pretty much sums up communism. In a communist rule there is no competition. Humans naturally crave competition and without it they tend to not care. The Cuban people are able to slack off during their job which isn't helping anyone. In a communist rule people do not have to work very hard because everyone makes the same amount of money. If one person works much harder than another they will both get the same reward. Because of this, everyone tends to not work very hard at all. When no one is working hard the economy tends to suffer. A leader can do one of two things. One, he can let the economy suffer. Or two, he can use violence to force people to work. This type of rule is what most communist rulers tend to use. It does not help anyone and ends up oppressing the people. Capitalism provides competition and does not violently oppress people. Capitalism would be a better government for the Cuban people.
Question: Will Cuba every have capitalism?
If they do, will is work?
Quote: "But Raúl is no liberal. He and Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentine adventurer who died in Bolivia in 1967, were the orthodox Marxists among the leaders of Fidel's Rebel Army, the ragtag band of bearded guerrillas who toppled the corrupt, American-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: America is all about growth and stability along with new ideas and possibilities, so why would we turn our backs to Cuba while maintaining a trade embargo(with exceptions) when we can open our arms and create opportunities for Americans in Cuba? (if they change their government system) Also, if we are so against Communism, why would we sponsor and support dictators like Batista and Pinochet where their actions are just as or worse than those of Guevara and the Castro's?
Comment: I am not trying to be an American Apologist, but in our past and continuing with fallacies of Obama, we have been extremely hypocritical by turning our heads away from Cuba when we really could be growing as a country if we opened up to them. I could see where that would be extremely difficult as America has backed dictatorships that go against Communist Cuba. Also, we have killed hundreds of freedom fighters that fought for a Cuba de Comunista, which both have angered the high-up Cubans. It would make sense to me to lift the embargo and show remorse for our past actions and try and clear up what has happened in the past.
Quote: “Fidel poured resources into social programs that reached from cradle to grave, providing free world-class health care and education as well as free pensions and funerals. Child Malnutrition and adult illiteracy were eliminated. Life expectancy and many other social indicators rose above those of the United States.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Why would Fidel put all this money, food, and service into this program when there isn’t going to be enough left to last for a long time, or even long enough for people to get jobs?
Comment: I understand why Fidel would spend so much time and money on this project, but I’m sure he knew that all of the supplies weren’t going to last forever. It doesn’t make sense that he would use all his money to help the country in poverty, but not save any for the future. The money that was spent was sent to everyone in the country to get “world-class health care and education”, but what happens when all the money is gone and Cuba is back in poverty? Fidel won’t have any money left to help everyone. All of the money that was spent to help the Cubans, did help them, it just didn’t last long enough for it to make an imprint on the country and actually create a substantial, long lasting economy and food source.
Quote: "The 50-year-old economic embargo of the island, which this newspaper has long opposed, has done more than anything else to keep the Castros in power. The abiding trope of the brothers’ propaganda is the need for “unity” against the aggressor over the water—the official justification for the lack of political freedom and for one-party rule"
ReplyDeleteQuestion: If the embargo has done nothing productive or benefited america in any way, and even helped the Castros stay in power, why not end the embargo to open up trade opportunities that could help stimulate the down spiraling economy as well as weaken support for the Castros.
Comment: The embargo placed on Cuba needs to be ended. It served it's purpose during the cold war and no longer has any further use. It only serves to perpetuate the stubbornness of our government and cut of ties to a potential ally and trading partner. The United States has wanted Castro out of the picture for a long time; multiple assassination attempts have been made on his life by the US government. Lifting the embargo would make the Cuba open to tourism and trade. This would help bolster the economy of Cuba and potentially the US. In the eyes of the citizens America is seen as a enormous power that has contributed to the failing economy and their less than standard way of life. There is resentment formed because of this and that resentment turns into support for the person who the United States opposes, Castro and his communistic ideals. The logic is so simple it can be put into a check list. Lift the embargo, encourage trade, business and tourism in both countries to help bolster both economies, and watch as the Castros lose support and eventually fade from power.
Quote: “ ‘The fundamental issue in Cuba is production,’ says Omar Everleny, a reformist economist. ‘Prices are high and wages are low because we don’t produce enough.’”
ReplyDeleteComment:
In my opinion, this quote sums up the inherent flaws in the implementation communism, especially within the current situation in Cuba. As this paragraph continues, it outlines the downsides of the lack of ability to achieve greater pay than what has been predefined by the government, and the ultimate lack of incentive for workers in Cuba. Workers spend most of their time idling at work and pilfer property from their jobs. Furthermore, once many communist investors in the Cuban economy, such as the soviets, collapsed and pulled their money away, the wages for most worker under the Cuban “corporation” dropped below a level sustainable for basic needs. This brought the first push towards capitalism, and the search for wealth from outside the communist bounds. At this point, Cuba opened its borders for capitalist trade with tourists. Since then, with the exception of a period in which Cuba found big investment from the newly socialist and thriving Venezuela, the desire for payment from sources outside the government has driven even those in integral positions in society, such as doctors and teachers, to find work in the cheap tourist market. This exiting of the workforce puts the communist Cuban economy at a standstill.
Question:
At what level of disconnection from the fruits of one’s labor does communism become completely ineffective?
Will Cuba be able to come out of this without a total economic collapse?
At what point is it too late for Cuba to turn back to Capitalism?
Quote: “Much of the resistance to change can be explained by bureaucratic inertia and the fear of loss of power and the perks that go with it. Many who feel that they have devoted their lives to the revolution re embittered by the idea that the reforms are opening up a route to acquiring money–and eventually power–outside the party.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: If the Party and its members do not wish to lose power, and “no serious observer thinks a ‘Cuban spring’ is around the corner” because of the lack of wide-spread information technology, how can the government change?
Comment: Change in the Cuban government lies with the United States. As the article states, it is “time for America to get over its 50-year tantrum.” Though the United States’ policies may conflict with the Cuban government’s, it appears that the embargo on Cuba is no longer effective. In fact, the embargo is aiding the Castro brothers retain power by providing them with an enemy to rally the people around. In lifting the embargo, we will gain new trading grounds (with the newly established cuentapropismo businesses) and weaken the Cuban government. The American government is acting hypocritically, for it has pushed past government disputes with China and Vietnam and established valuable trading grounds. Cuba should be treated no differently.
Hailey Hofer-
ReplyDeleteQuote one: “But the main reason for the shortage of medical staff is low salaries. A woman who gave her name as Grisel says she worked as a family doctor for just $23 a month, but now earns $40 a month in an improvised craft shop in Havana. She has two small children. A pair children’s shoes costs $13. As a doctor ‘I faced a choice of buying shoes or eating’ ”
Quote two: “So most Cubans do not work very hard at their official jobs. People stand around chatting or conduct long telephone conversations with their mothers. They also routinely pilfer supplies for their workplace: that is what keeps the informal economy going.”
Comment: I chose these two quotes to show both sides of the story; one, being those who are pushed to work two jobs in order to feed her children, and the other being those who are slacking and always know they’ll get the same pay as everyone else. The second quote is made towards the slackers. This definitely shows that even in this “perfect society” there are ways that people trick the system, and still get paid all the same. Due to this, the Cubans are not pushed to work as hard, which in the long run makes some lazy. The fact that one of the only things that keeps the “informal economy” going, is their own employees stealing their goods from them is shocking. However, from a leader’s standpoint, if that’s the only thing holding up the economy, then he can’t really stop them, without forcing the Cuban’s down the path of recession even further. With the first quote, made by a doctor named, Grisel, she states that she “faced a choice of buying shoes or eating” for her children as well as herself. If Cuba wasn’t a Communist country, then she would not be faced with these issues since she would be paid her deserved wage, rather than getting what all others receive. While she is working hard to make sure that her two children are fed and healthy, others (not all, but some) are stealing from their jobs, and slacking off, yet these two types of people get paid the same for that single job. The fact that she gets paid a little less then doubled what others receive is only because she has taken the time out of her life to work even harder, and get a second job.
Question: At what point will the hard workers of Cuba be recognized for their work, and be paid more? How much further should they go in order to keep their families fed? How will those “slackers” be eliminated, or coerced back into working diligently?
Quote: “Raul’s decision to let Cubans buy mobile phones and computers has probably had more impact than he or anyone else expected.”
ReplyDeleteComment:
As the Economist stated, only 434,000 people in Cuba could connect to the Internet in 2010, and most of them were professionals. According to a study in 2005 by Seagate, 80% of people in the United States have access to the Internet. The Internet is a place where all types of people can go. From researching, to listening to music, to connecting with someone across the world, the Internet is a key aspect to our society. It is an efficient and convenient tool for people to reference, share, and contact people through out their daily lives. Without the Internet, people would not be able to promote their new business, email a friend or relative living across the world, or access any information they desire at the touch of a button. The Internet is a place where people of all ages, races, or classes, can express them-selves, and learn about new cultures. Raul’s decision to let Cubans buy computers and mobile phones that will let them access the Internet has such a great impact on Cuba because of all of the opportunities, influence, and knowledge the Internet can provide. It is logical that the Cuban government did not allow their citizens to use the Internet or own a computer in the past because of the negative aspects of having access to the Internet and their fear of revolts, however, the positives greatly out weigh the negatives. If Cuba stays on this track and continues to increase it’s internet users, it could have many positive effects on the economy by creating jobs to install Wi-Fi or allowing people to create and promote their own businesses to a global community. The fact that Raul allowed his people to buy mobile phones and computers is a huge step in the right direction for Cuba.
Question: How will the age of technology and the new access to the Internet continue to affect Cuba in the near future? Will people start to revolt like the government was afraid of because of this new access to information?
Quote: "The hurt suffered by the exiles was indeed great, but it should not supersede the national interest of the United States."
ReplyDelete""'one of the things I've [Carlos Saldrigas, Miami businessman] learned on my trips to Cuba is that they're just like us: stubborn, proud, and even arrogant.""
Comment: Cuba is facing the economic consequences of the socialst rule under Fidel Castro. His state significantly reduced the incentive to work. To become financially sustainable, Cuba must increase their production and exports. As the regulation on small businesses begins to degrade, more entrepreneurial ambitions are plausible for the citizens of Cuba. However, success also necessitates outside help. Now that Cuba is slowly straying away from their socialist regime, the US should encourage it by allowing them business in our country. Lifting the embargo away from Cuba and the US will help the citizens and economy of Cuba. However, Cuba should comply by moving towards a full transition away from a socialism.
Question: If the US were to eradicate the embargo, what would the negative effects be?
Quote: “Health services and education are becoming harder to access and getting worse.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What is causing such a decrease in the health services in Cuba and how could this be improved in the future?
Comment: In Cuba there is a surplus of humanities graduates and a shortage of agronomists and engineers. Hospital care is falling apart in Cuba’s poor state. Many different drugs are in very short supply and some patients sometimes have to bring their own sheets. Cuba’s health services have declined so much that a woman who broke her arm couldn’t find any doctors at two clinics she visited. Research shows that 37,000 Cuban doctors aren’t even working in Cuba. They are studying in over 77 countries around the world. The Cuban government also offers many scholarships to study medicine, to help the country with its international prestige. When it comes down to the main problem, it seems the shortage of medical staff is low salaries. Many families struggle to feed their children or even buy shoes to wear. Raul Castro has taken steps to improve the health and education from what it is now by raising salaries. But Raul has not done much. Raul’s idea to phase out the libreta (supplies booklet) was removed at the party congress.
Question: Why, if the United States is so keen on helping other countries, and doesn’t seem to face any real threat from accepting Cuban trade, is the U.S. maintaining this embargo? Would the economic stimulus it provides Cuba not be worth whatever repercussions the legislators of America have gleaned?
ReplyDeleteQuote: “It’s a policy based on revenge. It sells well, but it has nothing to do with what’s going on in Cuba.”
Comment: It’s a very confusing situation. Early communist Cuba was quite well off, as there were many social programs in place which allowed for a period of prosperity. However, in 1989, Cuba’s financial and social wealth was plummeting. The Cuban government issued more pesos around 1989, leading to major inflation. The standard of living dropped, as well. Many buildings are structurally unsound, and some towns areas are hard pressed to locate any doctors in any close vicinity. There is some resentment towards the active government by Cubans both within its borders and in close lands, like Miami, Florida. Some protest the oppressive nature of the Cuban government, and others, mostly those outside of Cuba, protest the long-standing embargo.
However, it is not an easy task to remove either the long-standing embargo on the island nation, nor the Cuban government. Both would require an agreement to enact a change on the current system from among the responsible country’s legislators, the U.S. and Cuba, respectively.
Quote: "The second substantial achievement was that even as he expropriated almost all private property, Fidel poured resources into social programs that reached from cradle to grave, providing free world-class health care and education as well as free pensions and funerals."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: These reforms that have gone on in Cuba reflect socialist ideals. They are focused on spreading the wealth and making the conditions of the poor better at the expense of the rich. This is shown directly in the question. Does this also portray an evolving American social and political system as we change out healthcare and pensions laws?
Comment: I feel like this is a very slippery slope. On one hand there is the view that giving healthcare to people who can not afford it is beneficial to people (I am not saying that I disagree). On the other hand there is the perspective of someone that believes that if we focus more on the economy and political system as opposed to human rights and social aspects, then the economy and market will grow and then we can figure out what to do with healthcare. Personally, I agree more with the second option. I believe this for two reasons. The first, which I explained as I portrayed the perspective, is that by first focusing on the economy, we can grow our market and then implement social laws and freedoms such as healthcare that create a better society. Then second point is that by giving people free healthcare and pensions, we are creating a society that grows dependent on the government rather then themselves. This lack of motivation is the key reason that communism does not work. Naturally people are lazy. Communism takes the goods of a society filled with equality and preys on people's lazy tendencies and does not mix. Rather then give people free money and healthcare, we should create incentives for people to work and pay for their own healthcare. This is impossible if it is just handed to them.
Quotation: “The longer Raúl tarries over placing the economy on a sustainable footing, the greater the risk that a post-Castro leadership will be swept away on a tide of anger.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What is the best direction for Cuba, and where does it have the current Raúl / Castro co-op government ending up?
Comment: The two Castro’s need to be dealt with separately; although they still are on fairly good terms with each other and Raúl supposedly still consults Fidel for many large decisions, their ruling styles seem very different in purpose and effect.
Fidel had a much more controlling leadership, however he seems to have been much more popular as a leader, as he “poured resources into social programs that reached from cradle to grave, providing free world-class health care and education.” Because of his effort in all of these areas, “Life expectancy and many other social indicators rose above those of the United States.” These obviously made people love him. However, these were only because he had extra money from the Soviet subsidies, and it could not be maintained. The Soviet subsidies they relied heavily upon ran out—during a time called the Special Period—and this meant that the high quality of life and expensive social services could not be maintained. The country got into debt, started printing money to attempt a recovery, and the currency became inflated. The social services were stopped, wages dropped, and poverty struck heavily. This dropped Fidel’s popularity greatly.
Raúl seems to want to embrace the new Capitalism that they are embarking on, however as the bringing of this new economic system and the downfall of their society is generally coinciding; it seems that the people would either blame the problems on this new system, or wish to fix their problems before moving to the new system. Either way opposition is created against the new system and therefore against Raúl and the government as a whole.
Many signs of a 3rd world country show through in Cuba; this is very strange, as the quality of life not many years ago was supposedly above that of the US. The housing shortage, unrecovered hurricane damage, power cuts, economic inequality, low average wages, drop in education and health service quality, very low monthly wages, a low percentage of youth in the population, inflation, a new currency created because of inflation, bad credit, and falling population all suggest the country’s 3rd world quality of life, yet not too long ago none of this existed. “Many of [the vendors] are teachers, accountants and doctors who have left their jobs for a more lucrative, if precarious, life in the private sector.” Selling fruit is more profitable than being a doctor; it is obvious the country has trouble.
“This special report will argue that whatever the intentions of Cuba’s Communist leaders, they will find it impossible to prevent their island from moving to some form of capitalism. What is harder to predict is whether they will remain in control of the process of change, or whether it will lead to democracy.”
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to forget that at the start of the revolution, there were genuinely driven revolutionaries that aimed to bring happiness and overall well being to the people of Cuba. And, in the early stages, they achieved just that—beneficial programs and reforms that boosted Cuba's literacy, healthcare, and quality of infrastructure. But there is no doubt that Castro and his circle of leaders were/are highly corrupted, and twisted the perhaps more ideal concepts of the revolutionaries into a military dictatorship. In that thought, it is arguable that communism is an impossible system, as demonstrated through the USSR, China, North Korea, and now with the steadily failing Cuba. In my opinion, the true reason for these inevitable collapses was not the economic system in itself, but the dictatorship or totalitarianism stance of their respective governments. In Cuba, the transition from a horrible leader, to slightly less horrible ones (Batista to Castro to Castro), has been the dictatorship in question. Although not truly comparable to other floundering Latin American countries, it is possible to draw a line between others that, while clearly capitalistic, are held by militant dictators that are almost certainly the reason behind their failure.
Capitalism is not synonymous with democracy, and neither is communism with dictatorship. The Economist does realize that, but their focus seems to be on the failings of the economic system, which is in truth, obviously not working out, but is it the main problem?
So, what would have a greater impact on the well being of the people of Cuba? A complete shift in power? In economic system? Both? Would a capitalist nation under a man like Raul manage to be successful? Or would the desire for control override the fundamentals of the system?
Quote: "The deal was that Fidel would give them security and meet their basic needs, and in return they would surrender their liberty. Many of those who rejected that deal emigrated…Others were jailed, often in appalling conditions, by Fidel’s police state."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Fidel took away many basic need that cubans had but always provided them with a good education and health system. Raul and Fidel are both aware that the education and health services are decreasing. Raul says he is trying to make some improvements to Cuba, if this is the case why is education and health services doing so poorly?
Comment: Cubans are smart people and smart enough to realize that the education that their families were given is not the same as what they are being given now. It seems as if Fidel not being the main dictator in Cuba is a good thing but at the same time has the island truly improved under Raul? I think that America likes to help other countries after diaster. I dont oppose them helping other countries but why not help Cuba in small ways. Begin to trade with them and show signs of warming up to the island. They can provide a lot for us and especially since they are so close. Waiting for them to try and fix their problems on their own could take forever and in end cause disaster. So this time why don't we go and help before disaster strikes.
Quote:
ReplyDelete"The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don't get ahead. It's those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners."
Question:
If seems that Fidel still has some pull over Raul. If Fidel were to die would Raul be more willing to make the drastic changes that his brother opposses?
Comment:
I believe that there is no simple solution to the problems Cuba faces. Some say that if the United States removes the embargo or if Cuba were to become capitalist that conditions would be much better. Is this true? Potentially. But, I believe that the future failure or success lies in the hands of Raul Castro. I think that it is up to him to make the changes that his brother refused too. As of now it seems unlikely that the US will remove the embargo so Cuba needs to do as much as it can to fix it's internal problems. Raul Castro has begun to sacrifice some of the communist principles but he may need to do more. I strongly believe that the only way Cuba can get out of it's economical problem is by opening up to the international community. It seems that when China and Vietnam did so the flourished. Cuba can still keep some of it's communist principles (successful social services) but if they want to have improvement it seems like it might be in their best interest to open up to the world to allow economical growth.
Question: Why hasn’t America helped Cuba change from communism to capitalism?
ReplyDeleteQuote: “By October 2011, he says, some 338,000 people had requested a business license, 60% of whom were not leaving state jobs, suggesting that they were simply legalising a previous informal activity. As happens to small businesses the world over, many fail in the first year.”
Comment: It is obvious that the people of Cuba want change, and it seems to be the same for Cuba’s leader, Raúl Castro, but his intentions are still unclear. But I believe that Cuba needs a guide from communism to capitalism and America would be a great candidate. Cuba would become a capitalistic country and an ally to America. Whats to lose? Nothing. Why hasn’t this happened yet? This has not happened yet because the people of America can not let go of their fifty-one year grudge. I see no reason to continue the grudge because if America helped Cuba transform into a capitalistic country, the U.S.A. would be benefitting rather then our current standoff. To sum things up; Cuba is changing for the better and America needs to change for the better.
QQC -
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Is the embargo on Cuba by the United states just because of the fact that they are communist? Or are there other hidden reasons?
Quote: "Unfortunately American policy towards Cuba resembles a 50-year tantrum, rather than a coherent plan for encouraging a transition to democracy."
Comment: I personally think that the United States should lift the embargo on Cuba, yet set up a program to help create a democracy. The embargo that we have placed on Cuba does not provide any incentive or motivation to create a democratic style of government. And I am not saying that creating a democratic government for Cuba is the best thing, but this is our stated intention, so why not at least attempt to do what we say?
-Logan Hensley
Quote: “This special report will argue that whatever the intentions of Cuba’s Communist leaders, they will find it impossible to prevent their island from moving to some form of capitalism. What is harder to predict is whether they will remain in control of the process of change, or whether it will lead to democracy.”
ReplyDeleteComment: Reform in Cuba, as stated in this article, is moving slowly. Nonetheless, it is still moving. Reform is inevitable but the true issue at hand is how and what Cuba will form into. Cuban people all fear and want different things. The article from the economist states, “There are obstacles to reform. Bureaucrats fear losing power and perks; ordinary people fear rising prices.” Many different opinions are being voiced and that of the average Cuban calls for change and success within the economic reforms. When asked to drive a passenger to a restaurant owned by a former prime minister a Cuban taxi driver said, “These people spend their whole time stopping us from getting ahead, and they are helping themselves.” And a 50-year-old Cuban stated that, “The problem is that people who work hard and obey the law don’t get ahead. It’s those at the top who get ahead by doing business with foreigners.”
Questions: What may statements similar to the taxi driver’s and the 50-year-od man’s lead to in Cuba’s political future?
Quote: That political machine explains why America has not established normal relations with Cuba, as it has done with China and, since 1995, with Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Why don’t the people dedicated to get rid of the Castros see that this embargo means nothing?
Comment: Much like what Joe Garcia had said a policy based on revenge sells well, but does nothing to Cuba. The United States embargo has done and still does nothing to Cuba, but gives the government a stronger grip on the people. The government gain support by blaming the U.S for its problems. This embargo does not achieve its purpose and should not be set. No politician should fear this political machine.
Quote: "When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, many outsiders believed that communism in Cuba was doomed."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: If outsiders (the United States) believed that communism was on the fall, why didn't they release the embargo or make other preparations for Cuba in it's weakened state?
Comment:
In 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed, I would believe that the confidence in the power of capitalism would have moved the U.S. to release the embargo with Cuba. But as a counter to that argument, hurt feelings and tensions with Cuba after the Cold War was probably the reason in which the United States didn't go out of their way to deal with Cuba. But now although the communist party is still in power it is crumbling, which I believe means that now the United States has a greater chance to make an impact on Cuba as a whole. In this age although Cuba is still reluctant to change we may see a communist Cuba fall and out of those ashes a new country rise.
-Trevor King
Henry Poole
ReplyDeleteQuote: For one, the government seems undecided what to do about foreign investment, a key element in the rapid growth in Vietnam and China. It has cancelled some of the joint ventures it had signed (often in haste) during the Special Period, and such new agreements as it is entering are almost exclusively with companies from Venezuela, China and Brazil. Odebrecht, a Brazilian conglomerate, has reached an agreement under which it will run a large sugar mill in Cienfuegos for ten years. Many foreign companies are keen to invest in Cuba but are put off by the government’s insistence on keeping a majority stake and its history of arbitrary policy change.
Question: Is attracting foreign investment more important than improving local infrastructure and small business?
Comment: Cuba could soon be transitioning from a command economy to a capitalist economy. China and Vietnam are two other countries that are in similar transformations. As a result of new economic policy, China and Vietnam have enjoyed great success. Much of their success can be attributed to the number of foreign investors that pump money into their economies. Would the same strategy work in Cuba? Applying similar methods as the Chinese and Vietnamese may not yield the same results for Cuba.
The biggest difference between Cuba and China is population. Therefore, Cuba's labor force is much smaller than that of China. It's hard to imagine Cuba attracting foreign businesses for cheap labor, which fuels a large portion of China's economy. Although Cuba is beginning to receive attention from businesses in Brazil, Venezuela, and China, they may struggle to attract attention from the West.
It may be wise to focus on developing the internal Cuban economy. Education and health care are currently lacking. Both are vital to the country's development. The country also needs to lift some current regulations on small business. It is nearly impossible for an entrepreneur to grow a business under the current economic policy in Cuba. Improving on current infrastructure and economic policy would lead to the development of strong business in Cuba. Once the businesses are strong locally, the foreign investors will come. It will be a matter of time before we see the potential of a post-Castro Cuban economy.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQuote: “Mr. Hernandez believes that the economic reforms have far-reaching political implications. If they are to work, there will have to be decentralization, the rule of law and a reduction in the power of the state. To achieve this, the party will have to change its ways. At a closed party conference held on January 28th and the 29th, Raul Castro reiterated his calls for a separation between party and government.”
ReplyDeleteComment: The Cuban economy has been suffering from the decrease in production agricultural and industrial products. It was recorded that the agricultural and industrial products had dramatically lowered in the last few years in comparison to fifty years past. In 1991, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the withdrawal of their funds caused Cuba’s economy to fall. Castro quickly opened Cuba to foreign investments, tourism, the use of the dollar, and legalized small businesses to save the economy from collapsing. However, the assistance from Venezuela by providing Cuba with oil for the services of doctors and security adviser improved the economy, and Castro reversed his course. As a result of Fidel Castro’s paternalist state, the citizens had a lack of motivation to work. Most Cubans did work hard at their jobs, and they were unoccupied at work. The recent financial crisis of 2007, led to the withdrawal of Venezuelan aid, and left the economy weak. If Cuba manages to push for Capitalism it will surely boost the economy.
Question: Will a swift return to capitalism save the Cuban economy from a complete collapse?
Quotation:
ReplyDelete"Cuba is a declining corner of a rising, and a largely democratic, Latin America. After 50 years in which it has been an exception, the island's destiny increasingly resembles that of its region. It is high time that those on both sides of the Florida strait recognize that. Half a century of failure is evidence enough to support a change of policy."
Question:
WHY doesn't Cuba support a change of policy?
Comment:
Obviously, it would benefit Cuba, America, and all of Cuba's other benefactors greatly if Cuba were to switch from communism to capitalism. A looming reason for the government resisting the thought of switching to a capitalist society is that the sudden switch would wreak havoc on the society and would result in a civil war. The government and the country's civilians as a whole will need time to adjust to the major switch and all that it entails. Cuba, as proven in the past, has not been the best at sustaining themselves and making the right decisions when the situation boils down. What would most likely happen if we were to switch to capitalism would be that the economy would almost or entirely collapse, and the civilians would lose a sense of order. I think just the THOUGHT of switching policies would be enough to set anyone on edge. The Cubans need an outside force that knows what they are doing and has a second opinion on things. The Americans would obviously be the first option because of our history and involvement with them in the past. However, America needs to overcome its "50 year tantrum" before it can even think about making any decisions pertaining to a country in it's entirety. But, when that has taken place, and we have finally realized what good we could be servicing the world, we can change a great deal. The article states, "The exiles' powerful lobby in Miami and Washington DC maintains that going easy on the Castros, even when they are opening up, is a betrayal of American ideals." This shows just how naive and immature the government can be, and even when Cuba is almost begging us to come and help them, we will stop and think about it and take into account all of the economic turmoil they have established over the past 50 years.
-Alexander Lorenz
Quote: "Raul seems to be acutely conscious that Cuban communism is living on borrowed time."
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What actions will Raul take, if Castro were to die?
Comment: The Cuban economy, agriculture production, and industrial products have been decreasing in the past several years in Cuba. Castro had opened up Cuba for foreign investments and tourism to help boost the economy earlier in Cuban history, so now they are left with the same problem should they re-open Cuba and cut off the trade Embargo and help reboost there economy or stay closed off? I think they should reopen the country, because it not only helps America but it also helps out Cuba. It will help out America by expanding our trade and boosting our economy while pushing capitialism upon Cuba and increasing there economy extremely. It is in favor for both sides if the Embargos trade is gotten rid of, so why don't we help out Cuba (fulfill our "American Aide" reputation) help boost there economy and change there political views, while bettering America's economy too.
quote:
ReplyDeleteFidel Castro managed to embody cuban nationalism as the David defying the American goliath and its economic embargo.
question:
Why did we keep this trade embargo in place when all it did was let castro rally his people against America?
comment:
This trade embargo against Cuba has not worked and in my opinion should be abolished. While one third of Cubans slip into poverty Castro masked his own inability to improve his country's economy by scapegoating the useless U.S. trade embargo. All we are doing by keeping this embargo in effect is letting the Castros blame America for the problems they create. An embargo is meant to hurt the government not the citizens but in this case it did exactly the oposite. It let the government rally the hurt citizensagainst us and further damaged relations between our two countries. It is extremely important, in the midst of the power changing hands in Cuba, to repair relationships as not to breed more hatred for America as well as possibly another Fidel Castro
Quote: "Under Raul Castro Cuba has begun the journey towards capitalism. But it will take a decade and a political battle to complete".
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Yes, Raul is in power. But, can he really spark the switch from communism to capitalism with his brother Fidel still behind his back?
Comment: Raul is seen as a new leader who has prosperous plans for Cuba and looks to turn the Island around. But, Fidel is still behind Raul watching his every move, not to mention nobody is really sure how much power Raul really has. For all we know Fidel could be running the country behind everyones back and his brother is just his puppet. WIth Fidel still in the picture A switch from communism to Capitalism seems extremely unlikely until either Fidel passes or he comes to the realization that Cuba will be lost and if no switch is made Cuba will be in a major crisis. Raul understands what has to be done to revive Cuba and with Fidel still behind him he is acting as a weight on Raul's back and if this continues any longer it may be too late.
Quote: “In much of Cuba it has become hard to find anyone under 40 with a good word to say for the system. Mr. Pérez’s son, a teacher, plans to leave Cuba as soon as he can. “The young people here have nothing to do. They are desperate,” says his father. That is why the economic reforms have to succeed.”
ReplyDeleteQuestion: If the government loses all support from the people, will it still be able to maintain the current form of government, or will the he government have to change according to the people’s needs and desire? Will the younger generation be passionate enough to stand up against the government and voice their ideas?
Comment: As the conditions of life in Cuba continue to fall, the government is shifting to allow a form of what many would see to be capitalism. Private businesses are popping up around the country and contain about forty percent of the country’s workforce. Meanwhile, people in jobs provided by the government are losing the sense of security that they once felt. Wages continue to fall for government employees and vital services of the country that were so highly praised at one time are beginning to crash. The government initially had support from the people after installing a strong sense of nationalism and pride to the country. They supported everything that the government did. But that generation is current close to having an average age of about seventy years old and many of its members have died off. The younger generations were born into Cuba and do not have the same sense in pride in the country. In fact, a large portion of the younger generation does not support the current government full heartedly. But, the embargo still placed on Cuba by the United States is not assisting the downfall in the government in anyway. By maintaining the embargo, the United States has allowed the younger generation to be disconnected from the rest of the world and have a weaker voice in the society. The embargo has disconnected Cuba from a majority of modern technology and kept it from receiving many modern day items that could have the possibility of inspiring the younger generations. The Arab Spring was brought about through the uniting the younger generations, partly through the use of social media. If the United States truly wants to bring down the current ruling party of Cuba, lifting the embargo would most likely unite the younger generation and allow them to move forward towards a common goal.
Quote: “When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, man outsiders believed that communism in Cuba was doomed. Massive Soviet subsidies and military aid for Cuba had offset the economic embargo imposed by the United States in 1960...In response, Fidel...opened the island to foreign investment and mass tourism and legalized small family businesses and the use of the dollar. But then he found a new benefactor in Venezuela’sHugo Chávez.”
ReplyDeleteComment: The only way Cuba had not completely collapsed as a country, void of incentive and monetary gain, was to rely on large subsidies from the also communistic U.S.S.R.. However, once that doomed country fell, Fidel Castro realized his small country was doomed as well. In order to prevent a fate similar to that of the Soviet Union, he would have to make changes to his regime. He started to make Cuba’s economy more capitalistic, to accept U.S. currency, and to allow tourists from other countries into Cuba. He knew that he had to make Cuba more like the U.S., and less like the Soviet Union to avoid collapse. Luckily for him (and unluckily for his citizens), Hugo Chávez of Venezuela started to provide those subsidies to Cuba again. So, he reversed all the positive changes again, because his Country no longer had to be financially viable.
Question: How has the (oil) economy of Venezuela changed since these subsidies where put in place?
QQC: On the road towards capitalism.
ReplyDeleteQuote: “This special report will argue that whatever the intentions of Cuba’s Communist leaders, they will find it impossible to prevent their island from moving to some form of capitalism. What is harder to predict is whether they will remain in control of the process of change, or whether it will lead to democracy.”
Question: What is a potential future for Cuba? Is change awaiting the Cuban people?
Comment: The world is changing-rapidly. There are so many new technologies out there, so many new cures for disease being found- the world is in a transition period. I think that some of the Cuban people are beginning to realize that. The author of this article displays his view on the situation by simply stating, “Cubans are unhappy….” Under the communistic government and dictatorship of the Castros. The Cubans see that their healthcare systems, technologies, and, frankly, structures of government are outdated and not up to par with the rest of the world. Because of their poor economy, shrinking population, and lifestyle in general, I don’t think that it’s unreasonable to see a revolution brewing in Cuba. I think that this is because the Cubans are eager for a democratic system of government, but most of all they are awaiting change. Reform. Something and someone that can make them feel more connected to the rest of the world. I think that this will/has been triggered by Fidel Castro’s resign and just by the rapid pace of our changing world. Although the leaders of Cuba will try and keep communism and dictatorship as Cuba’s chief form of government, I think that the Cubans will have a strong case to make if they do revolt.
Quote: Information technology has opened a crack in the Cuban monolith, but it is a small one.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Why is there no sign of a Cuban Spring?
Comment: Although it is not the main focus of the article I found it Interesting that the author even mentioned a “Cuban spring.” It seems odd that the Cuban people are either against or unable to follow the recent trend against oppressive governments around the world. I believe many of the rebellions in the Arab spring were due to the internet, access to social media and true information. I hypothesis that the Cuban Regime has done a good job at restricting media although they do allow computers and mobile phones. The author of the article claims that “Raul’s decision to let Cubans buy mobile phones and computers has probably had more of an impact than anyone had expected” while he also states that out of a recent survey of 190 cubans over 90 percent of them only have access to government media. I feel that the reason a Cuban spring is not even possible is because of the Regimes proficient job in censoring media even while allowing computers and mobile phones. I also wonder if the majority of Cubans had access to more real information regarding their government if the situation would change.
Quote: "And the Cuban leadership is gerontocratic: Fidel is 85, Raul is 80, and the average age of the Politiburo is over 70. The Historicos, as those who fought in the revolution are known, are dying off.
ReplyDeleteComment:
The newest generation of cubans seem not to be willing uphold the society their forefathers created. Once the Castro brothers, and the generation that rose with them, are gone, it will open up a new opportunity for dialogue without the bias and tensions of the Cold War. With enough time, I would hope that Cubans could crack open the isolationist cocoon that has surrounded them for decades and that Americans will begin to see their neighbor island not as the Cuba that almost caused Global Nuclear War, but as business opportunities and as regional allies. In the meantime, we should not be focused on what kinds of reforms Raul Castro adopts, but rather hope that the successors to the aging revolutionaries will not inherit the same stubborn resistance to change. The Cold War is over, the Soviets are gone, and it is time that our grievances disappear with them.
Question: How long will it take America to break free from the almost involuntary urge to treat communist or non-democratic countries as threats and as enemies?