Political and Economic Immobility in Cuba and its Quixotic Ravings
By Benjamin Noria
HAVANA TIMES – Look, immobility is the tendency to keep a political, social, economic, or ideological situation unchanged. On the other hand, the concept of Revolution is an organized, massive, intense, sudden social change not exempt from violent conflicts for the alteration of a political, governmental or economic system.
Have you seen this previous comparison? So, how is it possible that if there is a Revolution in Cuba, the form of government has not changed in 64 years? I believe that the heads of the Cuban government are more conservative than those of the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States.
The same commander in chief explained in the concept of revolution on May 1, 2000, that revolution is changing everything that must be changed. However, as we have seen in 64 years, the same economic situation continues and the rulers cling to maintaining the same totalitarian State.
Cuba has an exclusivist, conservative and retrograde regime, which does not tolerate criticism and improvement of the doctrines of the teachers who have preceded it. It has a single party, a single ideology, tight State control over the army, the police, and the mass media, and finally also a planned and centralized economy.
Listen, they don’t even know what revolution is. What the concept of revolution is about is, for example, uprooting the government and putting in another, or eliminating an economic system and putting another in its place.
If they continue with this conservatism, communism will no longer be the system that will resolve social inequality or the imbalance of the tyranny of private capitalist companies. The Castro regime has a defective system, which has existed for more than 60 years without producing almost nothing.
Something else that’s interesting, hahaha. Karl Marx proposed that in the transition stage from Socialism to Communism, the State and the Government would disappear. The government would be the dictatorship of the proletariat; but, well, in Cuba the State does not disappear, it is more present every day.
What is the main thing that has prevented the Cuban State from changing things that are wrong. Nothing more and nothing less than dialogue. There is no dialogue with the government, in any case it is Order and Command.
To reach a consensus we must talk about the things we like and also talk about the things we don’t like. This is what makes a nation possess Democracy and the Rule of Law. This also strengthens a country and allows for development and improvement.
You cannot tell Cuban leaders that the mincemeat is bad, or that the milk and yogurt in the dairy mix are poorly prepared, or that the government made a mistake with the “Ordering Task” reforms. In fact, historically, what legislator or minister has dared to tell Fidel and Raul Castro at any time that they were wrong during their mandates? Who could have forced them to be accountable to the people for their management as leaders of the country and tell the truth about their quixotic ravings?
“ . . . the concept of Revolution is an organized, massive, intense, sudden social change not exempt from violent conflicts for the alteration of a political, governmental or economic system.” We all agree with this generalized concept of Revolution.
“The same commander in chief explained in the concept of revolution on May 1, 2000, that revolution is changing everything that must be changed”. True.
Now, we have to put the Cuban Revolution in its proper historical context. Prior to 1959, what kind of social, economic system existed in Cuba under the puppet regime of Batista? The majority of Cubans were illiterate and the pro American puppet Regime wanted Cubans to remain thus. Cuba was a playground for rich Americans and others who wanted to exploit the island. The Cuban feudal economy was owned by many rich American industrialist like Bacardi and family. Cubans were basically exploited feudal peasants.
So what happened? Readers to this forum know what happened next. A Revolution lead by the Castros, Che and company took place. Everything changed or was decreed to change. As Benjamin states in his Revolution description: “Revolution is an organized, massive, intense, sudden social change not exempt from violent conflicts for the alteration of a political, governmental or economic system.” The Cuban Revolution to oust Batista and company fulfills the description accurately. Complete change took place. That was a good thing in retrospect.
For a time with the immense aid of Russian subsidies, Cubans lived much better than pre-1959. The illiteracy rate dropped significantly as volunteer Cuban teachers went into the country side to erase illiteracy and teach Cubans how to read and write. That was a good thing – positive change.
Moreover, Cubans could purchase a variety of nutritious foods supplied by the Russians at modest cost. Cubans did not go hungry nor lacked essentials. Cubans could afford to live decently as compared to pre-1959. Speak with Cubans who lived at that time and they explain how much happier and proud they were than pre-1959. That was a good thing.
But, things changed very quickly and radically The Russian food subsidies subsided; the Cuban government with no opposition became complacent and incompetent – an understatement. Cubans as time progressed felt desolate – abandoned- by their government. Their incompetent government became more and more detached from its citizens to such an extent that Cubans today because of a lack of basic sustenance choose in huge numbers to flee.
The point I am making is to say that yes, a Revolution did occur in Cuba and that Revolution was initially successful in terms of eliminating a puppet Regime ruled from America that exploited the majority of Cubans. However, over time the Revolutionary leaders- Castros and company – have failed miserably in delivering a utopian socialist/ communist society that underpins communist ideology.
The Revolution did change everything that had to be changed. It worked for awhile but since, the Revolution has turned Cuba into a dictatorial totalitarian mess without purpose and now exists solely for its totalitarian government to continue maintaining abusive power. I guess a Revolution is successful when its leaders eventually come to recognize their mission has reached its positive conclusion and they step aside. Unfortunately for Cuba that was never done.
The intellectual masturbation that continues to take place in Cuba is amazing. The leadership within the dictatorship expends immense energy to find new words to explain the same old problems. The goal of these efforts is to buy time. The only constant in their mental gymnastics is blaming the US embargo. Despite the reality that the only solution is capitalism and democracy, the Castristas continue to develop slogans that try to sound and feel like ‘next year’ will be better. Does anyone, ANYONE, really believe that Castro-style socialism will ever be successful?