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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Daniel Jassim writes:
> I reposted here since this is the best thread for this topic:
>
> > In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> > US embargoes, while bogus on their very face, and not something I
> > support in the general case, are not a sufficient excuse for Communism's
> > failure in Cuba in and of themselves.
>
> Perhaps it would help if you'd expalin what constitutes "failure" in your
> opinion? Cuba has several strong points:
>
> * National health care
True. You'd be amazed by the amount of Portuguese people who have gone to
Cuba for treatment, especially optic, cardiac, and neurosurgery (spelling?).
> * Higher literacy rate than America
Dunno. But they do seem cult, public libraries have a lot of movement - then
again, TV is not full of choices (and Fidel's integral speeches are a real
pain... :)
> * Lower national unemployment rate (only 6%) than America
But a lot of "sub-employment". Wages are so low (balanced, but low) that
many people seek occasional jobs in the touristic sector (lots of illegal
restaurants, with very cheap and tasty lobster :)
> * Lower crime rate than America
Yeah, crime is low. On a wild guess I'd say their prisons have a different
purpose... The truth is with so little money circulating, one atracts a lot
of attention if suddenly becomes "rich". So there aren't real reasons for
theft. And why kill anyone, if they have the same sort of problems?
>
> So far, I've looked at it from an economic position and I would agree that
> Cuba's economy is in poor condition. But why blame the form of government?
> Isn't it pretty obvious that the sanctions are a REASON, not "excuse," that
> Cuba is not a properous nation? How can any nation as small as Cuba thrive
> in the global market if they are not allowed to do business without
> restrictive sanctions imposed by a superpower like America?
Yeah, take Helms-Burton Act... Every business I now do with an american
citizen can be considered close to illegal... :)
>
> If you really think about it, Cuba is a small enough country where Communism
> COULD be very successful. I guess in order to have a favorable opinion of
> "Communism," one must divorce it from the context of Marx, Lenin or Mao, and
> the former U.S.S.R.
Dan, in a sense I agree with you: Cuba *has* what it takes to be a
successful experiment concerning Communism. But the population was never
actually given a *choice*: they left Batista's dictatorship to enter
*willingfully* under Castro's one - he only declared communism *after* the
US began trying to overthrow him.
Larry has a point here: it is not only the embargo, it is the human nature
that concurrs to Communism's failure. Cubans flee trying to find a better
life by themselves (and for themselves), forgetting that Communism only
works if *everything* is according to plan - and Cuba's plan is a long-term
one, causing stress on a already empoverished population.
Plus there is the everpresent Human-Rights problem. It is not a cuban
exclusive, it is only more spoken of in Cuba. The US are in no position to
criticize in that matter. Neither is my own country, nor any other country.
Even the Vatican is not exempt in this chapter!
And take China for instance... the US approach was way different then...
What most Cubans want is to be able to trade to the US and others, without
re-becoming sort of a colony, as before 1959. They don't really understand
how the embargo is intended to make their lives better, because under
Communism things have steadily improved (until 1990 at least; and from 1995 on).
And to end, my favourite quote from a common cuban citizen I met and spoke
about Castro: the only reason he is still in power is because he is
respected by the people, who feel injusticed by the embargo. If the embargo
ends, Castro will soon follow.
So, my point is: the embargo is not doing any good to anyone involved. Maybe
the US would gain more to end it. Even politically.
Cuba is no paradise to live in. It could be, Communist or not. But under
communism it will only be a paradise to those who like it, and if those who
don't like it let it be so. Under other types of government is pretty much
the same...
Pedro
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Cuba
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| I reposted here since this is the best thread for this topic: (...) Perhaps it would help if you'd expalin what constitutes "failure" in your opinion? Cuba has several strong points: * National health care * Higher literacy rate than America * Lower (...) (23 years ago, 27-Aug-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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