Havana Times

Stalinist Cubans Fighting Revolutionary Criticism (III)

By Dmitri Prieto

Fidel: The moral of the revolution is as high as the stars. Photo: Derek Blackadder
Fidel: The moral of the revolution is as high as the stars. Photo: Derek Blackadder

The defense of Stalin by all those figures – as we saw – involves no reason to make an apology or even have a real understanding of Stalin himself.  Their defense is basically sordid militancy against any critical thought.

Such contrivances include not only opportunism in the face of seeing the questioning of historical accounts as both possible and healthy, but also the construction of an entire ideological facade that they believe is invulnerable.

They use all their miserable little tricks of bureaucrats to prevent all questioning through their use of silencing, lies and intimidation.

They seek to destroy honest criticism so as to guarantee their presumed invulnerability, which for them means impunity, immunity and impregnability.

Here we find their error.  Their strength is no more than a smokescreen – one that attempts to hide OUR collective precipices.

The Cuban woman, photo: Stephen Andrews
The Cuban woman, photo: Stephen Andrews

However, we all know the precipices are there.  Actually, few people are fooled; most just live with the resignation, hypocrisy and schizophrenia.  And like those last events in the USSR demonstrated in 1985-1991, resignation, hypocrisy and schizophrenia are in fact the best ideological ingredients to begin cooking up the soup of a cruddy and contaminating capitalism.

Stalinist Cubans are the applied and persevering artisans of a possible capitalist transition within OUR country.

Socialism doesn’t need smokescreens.

The only way to confront precipices is to uncover them.  To look into the abyss and see the abyss looking back, as Nietzsche once said.  Only the brave – socialist or not – extend their eyes into the abyss.

The only way to not build capitalism is to put an end to Stalinist ideas and practices.

Fortunately, it seems that many Cuban journalists have realized this recently and have written articles in the country’s mass media that are favorable of criticism.  However, let’s hope that attitude goes beyond mere writings and becomes a reality.

Dimitri Prieto-Samsonov

Dmitri Prieto-Samsonov: I define myself as being either Cuban-Russian or Russian-Cuban, indiscriminately. I was born in Moscow in 1972 of a Russian mother and a Cuban father. I lived in the USSR until I was 13, although I was already familiar with Cuba-- where we would take our vacation almost every year. I currently live on the fifth floor of an apartment building in Santa Cruz del Norte, near the sea. I’ve studied biochemistry and law in Havana and anthropology in London. I’ve written about molecular biology, philosophy and anarchism, although I enjoy reading more than writing. I am currently teaching in the Agrarian University of Havana. I believe in God and in the possibility of a free society. Together with other people, that’s what we’re into: breaking down walls and routines.

2 thoughts on “Stalinist Cubans Fighting Revolutionary Criticism (III)”

  • Armando Chaguaceda
    October 12, 2009 at 6:40 pm
    Permalink

    Aunque podrías dar cuenta de propuestas concretas creo que tu motivo fue dar bosquejo de actitudes y tendencias, no ofreces un informe de policy makers sino un viñeta de lucha cotidiana, en ese sentido y aunque atnder los consejos de Grady puede ser pertinente, siento que cumpliste tu cometido con claridad y conguencia
    saludos

  • One idea raised by this third installment merits attention. It is contained in the line: “Stalinist Cubans are the applied and persevering artisans of a possible capitalist transition within OUR country.” This contains an element of truth that makes me–and probably many others–very nervous.

    Given the fact that many of the S.U. Communist Party bureaucrats became millionaires after the transition back to capitalism, there is a possibility that many bureaucrats inside the Cuban party are sharpening their knives and forks in anticipation of capitalist restoration. If this is the case, they will block any sort of effective reform that might invigorate the Cuban economy and society. I hope Fidel and others are mindful of this danger within the party.

    Even so, may I suggest, Dmitri, that you accomplish little by wildly blowing off steam and throwing around the term “Stalinist.” It makes you sound like a sectarian who has no recommendations for meaningful reform.

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