Sorry, didn’t mean to be a dick about the spelling thing. I forget that things sound a lot harsher written rather than spoken. I thought you would note the mistake and edit my comment.

Anyway, let me point out that I was born in Miami in 1963 and my parents left Cuba in 1959 (which should give you an idea on where they stood on the revolution). By the way, they were and still are very working class people – to dispel any suggestion that the anyone who left was an upper-crust exploiter of “the people.” I consider myself a pretty left-leaning person and identify with left interpretations of Marx – meaning that I think capitalism is a basically rapacious system (though not the worst), but that I distrust any social system that goes about setting up centralized bureaucracies and authoritarian policies in the name of a universal class of workers whose interests are supposedly represented by a party elite.

I agree that if you are going to live within a capitalist system, a strong welfare state like the Scandinavian model is the way to go. This model, it seems to me is the most developed form of the liberal tradition that is believe in – as represented by worker’s rights, access to health care, universal education, etc. I am continually surprised at how easily people are willing to trade away democratic institutions for various forms of authoritarianism (even if they receive nominal democratic assent) – the current situation in Venezuela being a good example. Mark my words, within a few years there will be an outright dictatorship in that country that subsists by selling oil on the commodities markets just like any market-economy, but goes about quashing any kind of dissent under the name on a leftist anti-imperialism.

OK, no more rant. Left me just say that it is ludicrous to suggest that the right to travel (both within the country and internationally) is not severely restricted in Cuba as it was throughout the Soviet bloc. Also, I can tell anyone whose interested dozens of stories of my family and all the other Cuban families I grew up with sending care packages — ya, care packages — of basic supplies like soap, shoes, clothing (not designer goods) and above all prescription medications to Cuba because they were not readily available on the island.

One last thing. I think it is canard to suggest that Cuba is in the situation it is in because of the U.S. embargo. Notice that there are countries that have an essentially free market relationship with the US that are desperately poor and countries that don’t trade much with the US that are wealthy. It’s lame to argue that a nominally Marxist revolution failed because it couldn’t maintain trade relations with a neighboring market economy.

To me, the situation in Cuba has been created though the repression and centralized control exerted by a dictatorship. Such a system destroys the kinds of dissent, exchange of ideas, and innovation that are required to keep a society vibrant and innovative.

This is a great blog. Thanks again for the music, especially the Fela.

Vince

Vince

My father and his parents lived in Cuba during World War II and, though I was born in the U.S., Cuba’s been a part of me all my life.

Cuba’s an endlessly-fascinating place. I go often and stay for long periods as a journalist, and have been operating a Yahoo news group for the last seven years, which you’re welcome to check out. There have been over 70,000 items sent out, from, about or related to Cuba in that time. I support the Cuban revolution strongly, but don’t think it’s a model we would want to copy elsewhere of course.

Thanks for running a very lively and thoughtful blog!

Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California
but often in Cuba, too.

I always cringe a bit whenever I hear Western European Social Democracy held up as a standard of a preferable way of life…I mean, how do we think most of Western Europe was able to afford such lavish, cradle-to-grave, social programs, breeding of course the inevitable sense of post-modern entitlement now ingrained in most of the post-war born generations? Why, by having the U.S. (whoops) I mean…NATO take care of alot things security-wise. How nice…allows economies to decrease military spending (because it’s all about growing up as a peaceful, modern, society…uh huh…) and instead focus on maintenance of welfare-states that foster eternal adolescence, where growing thai-stick, protesting all things G-8, becoming a laptop, “experimental” musician, while learning how to appreciate Kabuki opera, can take primary focus over such boring, old-world, ambitions, such as finding a trade, working hard, raising a family (which may presuppose…gulp…officialized, socio-civic, things like…arrrgh…Marriage?) So yeah.. we rant.

Of course, this is just one slice now innit? I mean, OF COURSE, not everybody in Western Europe lives in s such a low-calorie, marx-as-fashion, mindset…but again, study the birth rates, and look at what the most popular baby boy names are in places like the Netherlands, and Great Britain, and you just may get a sense for where things might be headed. It’s so wierd…we’re going to have (and probably always have had), this top, fluffy, sparkly layer of national entities awareness of what’s going on in their own societies — always progressive, always techno-optimistic (“Because Scientists believe that one day we’ll be able to…”), always downplaying day-to-day realities…(“dude where’s my heritage?…oh…I guess I don’t need one…I’m a citizen of the world!….riiiggghhht) and then another layer…the day-to-day level of dealing with phenomena like Western universities losing the native population’s interest in things like technology degrees, engineering degrees, (Raise of hands…how many of comfy, cushy, eclectic-minded, westies settled with a major in “Communications”? ) etc. and instead—having another, usually foreign-born, demographic rise above and beyond in these areas…which of course, changes the demographic, causes social upheaval, and Paris is burning all over again. What?

So yeah, revolution’s, like some folks entering the priesthood start with good intentions, but then usually end up becoming self-serving enterprises, where rather than helping the poor, the downtrodden, the main focus becomes to keep up “La Revolucion” going at all costs! I don’t think this is an ‘ism’ problem, so much as a human nature problem. No ideology is immune, much to the chagrin of many college professors, or aspiring mutli-culti’s.

It’s hard to be objective. Great discussion though! nobody has the “right” answers…so best thing is to put all the ‘evidence’ for the historical and practical efficacy of any ‘movement’ or policy or ’cause’ and then go from there. Mistakes are unavoidable…the key though…the RARE THING I actually never, ever see from any movement, cause, or government…is an admittance of any wrong. Probably never will. Human nature 101 I guess.

Cuban students are being taught (#1 in Lat/Car) not indoctrinated – any less than we Americans are. No kids ae being “taken away.” The huge percentage of Cubans who get college degrees can study whatever they want, including the arts – and not have to worry about their marketability. Ditto with work… the job classifications in Cuba are so much more real and interesting than the USs. Most US jobs are 100% crap.

Cuban officials are notoriously NOT corrupt. Steal a little extra off the top for themselves, sure, but not corrupt. And it is totally misleading to suggest the Cuban Govt. prevents travel between the country and outside. Tourism is 100% allowed (with 2 million Cubans staying at 4/5 star hotels/tourist villas in 2006 stats). And if they have a reason to go abroad or move, it is no more problem than most Latin countries For the exit visa you just need a passport, a letter of invite and having completed your national service…. pleny of foreign-merried (amongst others) Cubans leave every day. The problem is entry visas into other countries. Despite the proximit, automatic citizenship, the thousands of dollars in assistance we give (only) Cubans, fewer Cubans actually leave by illegal means than most other countries in the reigon (there are more Haitian and Dominican rafters most years).