What the self-employed can do in Cuba

[The Vegan Marxist]

This was originally posted on the blog run by Professor Toad (http://professortoad.wordpress.com/2010/11/26/what-the-self-employed-can-do-in-cuba/). I would like to thank him for taking time out of his day in order to publish this important piece of information to us all.

What the self-employed can do in Cuba
November 26, 2010

The Cuban government has published a list of the types of licenses which will be available to the self-employed under the economic reform. I’m not aware of any other English translation of this list. The translation below is very approximate: Some of the words aren’t used at all in Mexican Spanish. Others may be used differently. And many of the words have several possible meanings, so that, in the context of the list, it’s hard to tell which one is intended. But despite the shortcomings of the translation, it should serve to give readers an accurate general picture.

The Spanish-language list may be found here (http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2010/09/24/amplian-en-cuba-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia/).

List of authorized activities for the exercise of self employment

Activities

1. Tuner and repairer of musical instruments

2. Waterer

3. Bricklayer

4. Renter of animals

5. Renter of suits

6. Sharpener

7. Party host, clowns or magicians

8. Mule driver

9. Craftsman

10. Sawyer

11. Child care provider

12. Barber

13. Embroiderer, weaver

14. Cart driver

15. Singer

16. Carpenter

17. Fork-lift driver

18. Locksmith.

19. Automotive dent repairer

20. Collector/payer

21. Providing a cart pulled by animals for children

22. Buyer and seller of music

23. Buyer and seller of used books

24. Builder/seller or installer of radio and television antennas

25. Builder/seller or repairer of wicker items

26. Breeder/seller of pets

27. Window installer

28. Caretaker of animals

29. Caretaker of public bathrooms

30. Caretaker for the sick, the disabled, or the elderly

31. Caretaker of parks

32. Tanner (except cow leather)

33. Decorator

34. Trimmer of palmtrees

35. Producer/seller of food and drink by means of gastronomic service. (Paladares). Exercises the activity in their home, through the use of tables, stools and so on up to a capacity of twenty.

36. Producer/seller of food and non-alcoholic drink in one’s home

37. Producer/seller of food and non-alcoholic drink on a retail basis in one’s home or as a street vendor

38. Procuer/seller of food and non-alcoholic drink on a retail basis from a fixed place of sale. (Cafeteria).

39. Producer/seller of charcoal

40. Producer/seller of wines

41. Producer/seller of yokes, yokepads and ropes

42. Electrician

43. Automotive electrician

44. Caretaker, cleaner and “turbinero” of real estate [I could find no translation for the word turbinero.]

45. Bookbinder

46. Coiler of motors, electrical coils and other equipment

47. Animal trainer

48. Maker/seller of wreaths and flowers

49. Sower of buttons

50. Photographer

51. Washer/greaser of automotive equipment

52. Travel agent

53. Engraver/writer of objects

54. Blacksmith for animals or maker/seller of horseshoes and nails

55. Automotive body repair person

56. Driving instructor

57. Sports trainer (except martial arts)

58. Gardener

59. Washer or ironer

60. Woodcutter

61. Shoe shiner

62. Cleaner and tester of spark plugs

63. Cleaner and repairer of ditches

64. Manicurist

65. Make up worker

66. Masseuse

67. Putty worker

68. Mechanic for refrigeration equipment

69. Typist

70. Messenger

71. Dressmaker or taylor

72. Miller

73. Sound operator

74. Air compressor operator, operator or repairer of pneumatic drills

75. Operator of children’s recreation equipment

76. Valet, caretaker of automotive equipment, cycles and tricycles

77. Hairdresser

78. Hairdresser for pets

79. Domestic worker

80. Automotive painter

81. Painter of furniture or varnisher

82. Housepainter

83. Sign painter

84. Fish farmer

85. Sculptor

86. Plumber

87. Well digger

88. Maker/seller of articles for home use

89. Maker/seller of rubber accessories

90. Maker/seller of pottery

91. Maker/seller or collector/seller of things made of ceramics or other materials, with a constructive purpose.

92. Maker/seller of religious articles (except items which have a cultural value according to the Ministry of Culture) and seller of animals for these purposes

93. Curtain rods, curtains and mountings

94. Maker/seller of costume jewelry of metal and other natural resources

95. Maker/seller of footwear

96. Maker/seller of brooms, brushes and similar items

97. Maker/seller of plastic figurines

98. Producer/seller of flowers and ornamental plants

99. Producer/seller of piñatas and other similar articles for birthdays

100. Producer/collector/seller of plants for animal food or producer/collector/seller of medicinal herbs

101. Instructor in music and other arts

102. Instructor in shorthand, typing and languages

103. Computer programmer

104. Metal polisher

105. Collector/seller of natural resources

106. Collector/seller of raw materials

107. Watch repairer

108. Repairer of leather articles and similar things

109. Jewelry repairer

110. Repairer of bed frames

111. Repairer of automotive batteries

112. Bicycle repairer

113. Repairer of costume jewelry

114. Repairer of fences and paths

115. Repairer of kitchens

116. Repairer of mattresses

117. Repairer of small implements

118. Repairer of office equipment

119. Repairer of electrical and electronic equipment

120. Repairer of mechanical and combustion equipment

121. Repairer of looking glasses

122. Repairer of sewing machines

123. Repairer of saddles and tack

124. Repairer of umbrellas and parasols

125. Repairer and recharger of cigarette lighters

126. Tutor. Not including active teachers

127. Restorer of dolls and other toys

128. Art restorer

129. Doormen for residential buildings

130. Solderer

131. Saddler

132. Upholsterer

133. Roofer

134. Book keeper. (Accountants and middle technicians in accountancy with a work connection to the specialty are excepted)

135. Dyers of textiles

136. Lathe operator

137. Roaster

138. Temporary agricultural worker

139. Translator of documents

140. Sheep shearer

141. Thresher

142. Seller of agricultural products in points of sale or booths

143. Repair cobbler

144. Contract worker (hired by the official self-employed worker to work with him)

145. Leaser of housing, residences, and spaces which are an integral part of the housing

146. Producer/seller of food and drink through gastronomic services with special characteristics of the Chinese neighborhood.

147. Service of trips in the colonial carriages

148. Private contractors

Customary figures

149. Habanera dancers

150. Card-reading fortune teller

151. Folkloric dance artist

152. Musical group “Los Mambises”

153. Cartoonists

154. Sellers of artificial flowers

155. Street painters

156. Dandy [This word appears as "Dandy" in the original. From the context it seems to be some sort of street entertainer.]

157. Hair braiders

158. Peeler of natural fruits

159. Dance duo “Amor”

160. Dance partnership “Benny More”

161. Shower of trained dogs

162. Musical duo “Los amigos”

163. Walk ons

164. Traditional hairdresser

Transport of cargo and passengers

165. Trucks

166. Pick up trucks

167. Panel trucks

168. Bus

169. Microbus

170. Cars

171. Rail methods

172. Jeeps

173. Boats for passenger transportation

174. Motorcycles

175. Tricycles

Animal and human powered

176. Small carts

177. Coaches

178. Bicycles

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

I take it back, Cuba is a bastion of socialism and freedom.

Let the whole world follow this example.

[Fulanito de Tal]

I'm going next month and will take this list with me. I'll let you know what people over there think about it when I get back. :closedeyes:

[The Vegan Marxist]

I'm going next month and will take this list with me. I'll let you know what people over there think about it when I get back. :closedeyes:

Make sure you mark down their ideological views as well. Because if you just randomly find a pro-capitalist, of course they're going to feed you bullshit. So take precautions when asking these questions. Have fun comrade.

[Blackscare]

I really don't see anything wrong with this. It's really hard logistically to socialize small-time economic activity like that, and unless you just want to across the board ban certain things then this seems like the most logical thing you can do.


I think little ventures like blade-sharpening, etc, are the mortar in between the larger "bricks" that are state enterprises.

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

...
17. Fork-lift driver
...

*gasp*

[the last donut of the night]

*gasp*

it's all part of the forkliftist theory on degenerated forklifts' states, where the workers, although controlling the forklifts, are not able to control their fuel source, which is controlled by the forklift bureaucracy -- the forkacracy

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

The problem is that, I don't believe, there was the demand for people to enlist in such professions. As such, there is going to be less interest than in a Capitalist economy, as a private music instrument repairer for example, will not be able to earn that much, and there will also be next to no specialisation. It could be a disaster, economically speaking.

As far as I was aware from my trip to Cuba, people only really wanted to be able to access hard currency and thus scarce goods, and also to be able to privately run a select few types of organisations such as paladares (home-run restaurants), which is not exactly a bastion of Capitalistic enterprise.

The currency problem is a bigger one than this, I fear that the Cubans do not have an answer to it.

[Sosa]

http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2010/11/26/cuba-importara-suministros-para-abastecer-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia/

Cuban government investing $150 million in supplies for self-employed

[KurtFF8]

This (http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/carrim191110.html) should be of interest for this thread:


Cuba's Economic Reform:
Interview with Oscar Martínez
by Yunus Carrim
Oscar Martínez is Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the Cuban Communist Party. This interview was conducted during the South African Communist Party visit to Cuba this month.
What is the nature of the economic problems Cuba is currently experiencing?
In the context of our other problems, the US economic and financial blockade is hurting our economy more now. The blockade has been the main obstacle to our social and economic development over 48 years. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc, we lost our main trading partners. It was a severe blow from which we have not yet recovered. The 2008 global economic crisis also hit us hard. The price of nickel, a major export earner, has gone down. And we have had huge losses with the hurricanes. But also our productivity is too low. We need greater efficiency and more saving to ensure economic growth. We are a small country with limited resources. We need better organize our production, improve discipline, and update our economic model. We are importing far too much, especially food, and need to be more self-sufficient. We need to focus far more on agriculture. Food production has now become an issue of national security.
Isn't the US blockade easing?
In practical terms, no. The main aspects remain and overall the blockade has even got worse. Since 2009 there have been more prohibitions on companies doing business with Cuba. Yet 187 countries voted against the blockade in the UN General Assembly. Direct economic damages to Cuba since the blockade began in 1962 until December 2009, according to conservative estimates, surpass 154 billion US dollars (http://www.cubavsbloqueo.cu/Informe2010/6.html). If this was calculated according to the present value of the US dollar, it would be about 239 billion dollars (http://www.cubavsbloqueo.cu/Informe2010/6.html).
But if you have economic problems how does it follow that you have to retrench half a million state workers? Especially since you're a socialist state?
We are not retrenching. That's a capitalist term. We are not putting people out in the street. We are not going to leave them without social assistance. We are re-organising the workforce, not firing workers. We are directing them to other areas of work vital for the economy, mainly food production. We are making these changes as part of updating our economic model in order to ensure that our socialist system is sustainable on the basis of the rational and effective use of the workforce. The first phase will be concluded by the first quarter of 2011. As part of the process, we are giving people land, and helping them to make productive use of it. A significant section of this land is near the urban areas, where 80% of the working population lives. If this land is used to produce food, it will also reduce the fuel and transport costs because it's near the urban areas. We have too many bureaucrats and professionals, not enough artisans. We want to move people from just producing paper to areas of the economy in which they can be productive and contribute to the economy. We are trying to find new areas of work for them. As President Raul Castro says, 'We have to remove once and for all the notion that Cuba is the only country in the world where you can live without working'. If they do not accept work that the government directs them to, they can be self-employed. We have opened up 178 areas in which they can work. Over 2 years, the state will have to give up about a million workers.
Are you going to re-skill the workers? And what areas are you opening up?
Yes, we are going to fully support the workers to get new skills and other means to get started. Our higher educational institutions are also going to assist. Banks will help with loans. Our main priority, of course, is food production, with the emphasis on substitution of imports, but we also want to increase imports in certain areas. The new areas being opened are in tourism, trade and services, mainly. We are to allow more people to be self-employed as transport providers, bricklayers, stonemasons, plumbers, electricians, panel-beaters, shoe-repairers, hairdressers, shoe-makers, accountants and so on. We are also to allow people to have restaurants with up to 20 seats. Labour must be got from the owners' families, but they can also employ a limited number of people.
Will there be a minimum wage for those employed and any restriction on the profits of the restaurant owners and others?
Yes, there will be a minimum wage. These will be limited enterprises and they won't be able to make huge profits. We are introducing new redistributive taxes. In fact, new regulations related to this, including the modification of the tax system, have already been published in a special edition of the government gazette.
But ultimately you will be introducing a further measure of private enterprise?
But we're not opening the door to capitalism. No way! Our economic reforms are based on socialist principles. In any case, we have always had self-employed workers. We are just increasing their numbers. Self-employed workers may be able to accumulate more in certain cases, but that'll be based on their hard work, not through exploiting others.
But in the context of the joint ventures with the private sector and other economic reforms since the early 1990s aren't you gradually drifting away from socialism?
No, no! We are consolidating socialism in new difficult global conditions. We are not expanding the private sector significantly, and the fundamental means of production remain in state hands. Even where people work on the land, the product will be theirs, but the state will retain ownership of the land. We are not privatizing the land. And if people do not make productive use of the land, we will take it back from them as part of our leasing agreement and allocate it to others. It's impossible to seriously build socialism with our low productivity. We must have a strong economy, especially to ensure our free health and education systems. You must understand we are shaping our own Cuban model of socialism. Ours is an authentic Cuban revolution. It's not been imported from anywhere. It's based on our history, our culture, the nature of the Cuban personality, the psyche of the Cuban people, our natural resources, our climate, our position as a small island, our location in the Caribbean, and our specific problems now. We are not perfect but we are working very hard to make socialism work. We have to make these changes to preserve socialism in the context of the economic and financial crisis and the anachronistic US blockade. The changes we are making are under the control of the Cuban Communist Party, with the support of the people. After 51 years of our revolution, we cannot afford now to make major strategic mistakes.
Have there not been increasing inequalities within Cuban society since the economic reforms of the early 1990s? And with the reforms, a change of values? And what about corruption?
Yes, there are inequalities, and we are addressing this to prevent the gap growing. But the major distortions come from the money sent to Cubans by their relatives from the US and elsewhere. For example, one US dollar is equivalent to the entire ration card we give to our people. So those who get money from outside are better off. Over time, we want to do away with the two-currency system we introduced after collapse of the Soviet Union. (Cubans use the Cuban peso which is weak compared to the US dollar, but US dollars are exchanged into the convertible peso which is closer in value to the US dollar.) But to do this, we have to increase the productivity of our workforce, to have a strong economy. We can then raise the salaries of workers. And, yes, we are also aware that the values of people can change. We are addressing this in various ways, including through new and more intensive ideological programmes in our schools, the Young Communist League, the mass organizations, workplaces and elsewhere. We have open debates about this issue. That's the best way to deal with it. We are also getting stronger against corruption through prevention measures and prosecutions of offenders. Any process of change will have challenges. Our economic reforms will be managed gradually and progressively to try to prevent distortions. Of course, this is not the first time we've introduced reforms, but we are aware of the far-reaching consequences, and we are working towards avoiding possible negative effects.
So what is the response of workers to your new economic reforms?
We have spent long hours with the trade unions and workers. We discuss our problems. We make them public. That's how we can solve them. If we are open with people they will support us, as they did during the 'Special Period' after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc. We have also been given lots of ideas by the public and are including these in our plans. But the workers are worried. You see, until now the state has been doing everything for them. They have become too dependent on the state, on the excesses of government paternalism. Now they have to adjust. It won't be easy, but we will do it. In a situation like this, the government has to be part of the solution. We are not going to leave the workers alone. We are going to assist them in their new work. We have to make these changes. If we don't make them we will burden future generations. We are doing this for us but mainly for our children.
Yunus Carrim is Editor of Umsebenzi. This interview was first published in Umsebenzi (http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?include=pubs/umsebenzi/2010/vol9-21.html) 9.21 (3 November 2010); it is reproduced here for non-profit educational purposes. See, also, Omar Everleny Pérez Villanueva, "The Cuban Economy: A Current Evaluation and Proposals for Necessary Policy Changes" (http://bit.ly/byLAEy) (Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO, 2009); Omar Everleny Pérez Villanueva, "Notas recientes sobre la economía en Cuba" (http://bit.ly/c4acpA) (Espacio Laical, 2010); Marc Vandepitte, "Los desafíos económicos y sociales de la revolución cubana en 2010" (http://bit.ly/d6WxjW) (Rebelión, 23 May 2010); "Reducirá Cuba medio millón de plazas en el sector estatal: Pronunciamiento de la Central de Trabajadores de Cuba" (http://bit.ly/8Yu8AO) (CubaDebate, 13 September 2010); Marc Vandepittem, "Medio millón de puestos de trabajo perdidos en el sector estatal cubano" (http://bit.ly/9Pq0C3) (Rebelión, 23 September 2010); Brian Pollitt, "From Sugar to Services: An Overview of the Cuban Economy" (http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/pollitt061010.html) (MRZine, 6 October 2010); "Proyecto de Lineamientos de la política económica y social del PCC" (http://bit.ly/92H0wj) (November 2010)

[The Vegan Marxist]

^Thank you tremendously for that interview.

[Burn A Flag]

I find it fascinating how the right wing media in the USA tried to play this off as pro capitalism reform.

[Jack]

I find it fascinating how the right wing media in the USA tried to play this off as pro capitalism reform.

I find it fascinationg how you can look at this and say it isn't. I wasn't aware Socialism meant state sanctioning of the petit bourgeoisie.

[The Vegan Marxist]

I find it fascinationg how you can look at this and say it isn't. I wasn't aware Socialism meant state sanctioning of the petit bourgeoisie.

I find it fascinating that you remain deluded with idealist, early-Marx perspectives of Socialism.

[Jack]

I find it fascinating that you remain deluded with idealist, early-Marx perspectives of Socialism.

Yes, because orthodox Marxism-Leninism is based on Young Marx, obviously when Marx aged, he realized the necessity of maintaining primitive capitalism to build Communism!


But honestly, how can you look at any of these professions and not say they're petit bourgeois? To take a selection:


88. Maker/seller of articles for home use

89. Maker/seller of rubber accessories

90. Maker/seller of pottery

91. Maker/seller or collector/seller of things made of ceramics or other materials, with a constructive purpose.

92. Maker/seller of religious articles (except items which have a cultural value according to the Ministry of Culture) and seller of animals for these purposes

93. Curtain rods, curtains and mountings

94. Maker/seller of costume jewelry of metal and other natural resources

95. Maker/seller of footwear

96. Maker/seller of brooms, brushes and similar items

97. Maker/seller of plastic figurines

So, independent craftsmen who sell their goods for profit.... sounds just like the petit bourgeoisie.

[The Vegan Marxist]

Yes, because orthodox Marxism-Leninism is based on Young Marx, obviously when Marx aged, he realized the necessity of maintaining primitive capitalism to build Communism!


But honestly, how can you look at any of these professions and not say they're petit bourgeois? To take a selection:



So, independent craftsmen who sell their goods for profit.... sounds just like the petit bourgeoisie.

They're not in a position where they can continue with their dominant State-own structure like before. You completely disregard any economic disparities they're currently facing due to the economic crisis. Granted, there's some things I don't particularly agree with, but the Socialist model is still intact, and the people of Cuba, clearly, are showing collective solidarity by moving forward, no matter the costs.

[anticivanarchist]

The reforms are definitely lifting the petite-bourgeoisie, no one's arguing that.

The real issue now is pounding out whether that's going to enhance socialism in the long run in Cuba, or if it's going to be the beginning of the counterrevolution. It definitely seems like it's going to move along with socialism, rather than be the beginning of counterrevolutionary reforms.

However, Fidel is still alive, and who knows what'll happen when he finally kicks the bucket!

[KurtFF8]

But honestly, how can you look at any of these professions and not say they're petit bourgeois? To take a selection:

Even if these reforms open up doors to a bigger petit-bourgeois class, or relieve that class (which, by the way, I don't find these reforms to do necessarily), I don't see how that is equal to "restoration of capitalism" or anything that extreme.

If you compare this to, say the NEP in the early USSR, it's hard to even call this a retreat from socialism.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I worry when I hear PCC members talking about efficiency, productivity and discipline. Very Capitalistic.

In fact, having read that interview, i'm rather worried. Talk of minimum wages and redistributive taxation just sounds like radical social democracy to me.

The Cubans are doing themselves no end of harm here. Whilst I will fully support them because they are a bona fide Socialist state and have done a damn good job for their people, and for all Socialists, thus far, I find the current reforms troubling.

If they want to re-skill people, why are they admitting that the main economic areas that are going to be beefed up will be tourism and services? We all know that this means doctors will end up as waiters and the two-currency economic differences will be exacerbated - there will be a greater gap between haves and have-nots.

It's ridiculous. Get rid of the dual currency, tax any overseas dollar income from family and put the taxable amount into a social fund, so that people can get things like milk and decent quality meat at an affordable price.

Fuck sake. Sort it out Raul.

[mykittyhasaboner]

I worry when I hear PCC members talking about efficiency, productivity and discipline. Very Capitalistic.

Perhaps...in the sense that the Cuban economy needs to make money, instead of waste it. However, "efficiency" and "productivity" are desired in any kind of economy, and "discipline" refers to the duty of all able bodied Cubans to work. There is nothing really "captialistic" about pointing this out.



If they want to re-skill people, why are they admitting that the main economic areas that are going to be beefed up will be tourism and services? Martinez mentions that the most important objective is to boost agricultural production and substitute imports. Tourism and services will probably get more workers, but so will the hundreds of "self-employed" jobs and services.



We all know that this means doctors will end up as waitersYeah right. The goal is to eliminate wasteful state positions, not ones which Cubans hold in the highest regard.



It's ridiculous. Get rid of the dual currency, Didn't you read this part of the interview? (below) He says that the two currency system is to be done away with once the economy is strong enough.


Yes, there are inequalities, and we are addressing this to prevent the gap growing. But the major distortions come from the money sent to Cubans by their relatives from the US and elsewhere. For example, one US dollar is equivalent to the entire ration card we give to our people. So those who get money from outside are better off. Over time, we want to do away with the two-currency system we introduced after collapse of the Soviet Union. (Cubans use the Cuban peso which is weak compared to the US dollar, but US dollars are exchanged into the convertible peso which is closer in value to the US dollar.) But to do this, we have to increase the productivity of our workforce, to have a strong economy. We can then raise the salaries of workers. And, yes, we are also aware that the values of people can change. We are addressing this in various ways, including through new and more intensive ideological programmes in our schools, the Young Communist League, the mass organizations, workplaces and elsewhere. We have open debates about this issue. That's the best way to deal with it. We are also getting stronger against corruption through prevention measures and prosecutions of offenders. Any process of change will have challenges. Our economic reforms will be managed gradually and progressively to try to prevent distortions. Of course, this is not the first time we've introduced reforms, but we are aware of the far-reaching consequences, and we are working towards avoiding possible negative effects.
tax any overseas dollar income from family and put the taxable amount into a social fund,It will be incredibly difficult to tax "any" remittances because probably half of it comes to the island through people who travel there and don't go through any government middle men.



Fuck sake. Sort it out Raul.Raul is not an absolute dictator or a god, he can't just "sort it out". Maybe you should propose your ideas for an economic recovery which is better than Cuba's current plans?

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

To your last point, I realise he's not an absolute dictator. I've proposed in other threads that they should do away with the two-currency system in as short a time as possible without providing a currency and thus price shock to the economy. IMO this could be done easily within 1-2 years.

This would alleviate many problems - the government could then denote all Cuban business in national pesos. This would make a huge difference. Currently, pilfering goods on the black market (as people are in search of valuable convertible pesos) costs ordinary people a huge amount - it is most certainly creating a divisiveness between the haves and have nots.

Stopping the expansion of the tourist sector to the extent it takes over the economy would also stop this division. Keep paladares (home-run restaurants) and casa particulares (home run B&Bs) at their current levels or even reduce them - these are the main ways that people make money a la izquierda (on the side - literally meaning 'on the left'), and this is where you will find pilfered goods. I have even been served forbidden lobster in someone's casa, for just the equivalent of less than $10. That is what you call a waste of currency.

Obviously, the Cubans are quite limited in terms of future economic growth because of the embargo. We should accept that - the Cuban people accept it and are angry about it. However, what must not happen, is the acquiescence of workers' right and privileges in the name of 'efficiency' and what have you'. That is Capitalist clap-trap that roughly translates as Gorbachev-style privatisation, as opposed to Yeltsin-style 'shock therapy' privatisation. Both are unforgivable.

Make the most of what you have, Cuba. This tiny 3rd world country is a world leader, perhaps the world leader, in medicine and bio-technology. It lets itself down in the agri-production sector. I saw when I was there that outside the cities, some people still plow the land with a single donkey, goat, llama or whatever. This is backwards and contrary to the materialist aims of Marxism.
To this end, Cuba should invest (i.e. deficit-spend) in agricultural technology, and look to become more self-sufficient in terms of food.

Another micro-economic problem on the island, it seems to me, is milk. It is scarce, expensive and rather dangerous to drink - it's unpasteurised, often sold in plastic bags left warm under the sun. People don't seem to know much about the health of milk because they just don't have that much of it. The government should educate people on this (I know they do a good job in educating people in various things) and provide more of a subsidy for baby milk, which is of vital importance for the improving health of future generations.

Mykittyhasaboner - I look forward to your response, comrade. This is the rough and ready set of ideas that I have for the Cuban economy, having visited there, studied it's economy in rough terms and considered what economic measures could be taken.

[mykittyhasaboner]

To your last point, I realise he's not an absolute dictator. I've proposed in other threads that they should do away with the two-currency system in as short a time as possible without providing a currency and thus price shock to the economy. IMO this could be done easily within 1-2 years.

This would alleviate many problems - the government could then denote all Cuban business in national pesos. This would make a huge difference. Currently, pilfering goods on the black market (as people are in search of valuable convertible pesos) costs ordinary people a huge amount - it is most certainly creating a divisiveness between the haves and have nots.

i agree that the dual currency system could be done away with fairly soon, but this needs to be done by strengthening the domestic economy. 1-2 years may be optimistic, but its certainly plausible. If the Cuban economy continues to grow the way it has the past few years then this could really happen sooner than later. i'd imagine that the goal is to close the gap between the convertible peso and the peso, permitting the abolition of the dual system.


Stopping the expansion of the tourist sector to the extent it takes over the economy would also stop this division.No other sector is as vital for economic recovery, (aside from agriculture, but we'll get to that) since this industry is responsible for the growth the Cuban economy has seen in the recent past. However the tourist industry is also part of the problem with currency-based inequality, so they have to be careful with tourism.



Keep paladares (home-run restaurants) and casa particulares (home run B&Bs) at their current levels or even reduce them - these are the main ways that people make money a la izquierda (on the side - literally meaning 'on the left'), and this is where you will find pilfered goods. I have even been served forbidden lobster in someone's casa, for just the equivalent of less than $10. That is what you call a waste of currency. i don't quite understand what you mean by "forbidden". Generally, where is the food bought from initially, in order for it to be sold at home?


Obviously, the Cubans are quite limited in terms of future economic growth because of the embargo. We should accept that - the Cuban people accept it and are angry about it. However, what must not happen, is the acquiescence of workers' right and privileges in the name of 'efficiency' and what have you'. That is Capitalist clap-trap that roughly translates as Gorbachev-style privatisation, as opposed to Yeltsin-style 'shock therapy' privatisation. Both are unforgivable.i really doubt either of the two are taking place, nor will they.


Make the most of what you have, Cuba. This tiny 3rd world country is a world leader, perhaps the world leader, in medicine and bio-technology. It lets itself down in the agri-production sector. I saw when I was there that outside the cities, some people still plow the land with a single donkey, goat, llama or whatever. This is backwards and contrary to the materialist aims of Marxism. Of course, but you have to remember that such backward methods were taken up in wake of a total collapse of industrial productivity. Without the fossil fuels required for industry, there was no way to produce tractors and what not. Thus, the productivity of the agriculture relied on what ever methods of farming were available. This is really a negative consequence of a lack of industrial capacity. It's not all bad though, a positive consequence of this Special Period is the substitution of rural agriculture with urban agriculture in many areas.


To this end, Cuba should invest (i.e. deficit-spend) in agricultural technology, and look to become more self-sufficient in terms of food. As far as i know, this is what they are doing. The problem is they are going to have to spend a lot of money buying all the required technology from the outside world at first. For the time being, backward rural farming techniques and urban farms are actually working well to increase food production.



Another micro-economic problem on the island, it seems to me, is milk. It is scarce, expensive and rather dangerous to drink - it's unpasteurised, often sold in plastic bags left warm under the sun. People don't seem to know much about the health of milk because they just don't have that much of it. The government should educate people on this (I know they do a good job in educating people in various things) and provide more of a subsidy for baby milk, which is of vital importance for the improving health of future generations.That's horrible, but again, is a result of the loss of factory farming where milk could be produced properly and in large quantities. i'm not quite sure exactly how this problem can be solved--it will likely involve more spending on the government's part.


Mykittyhasaboner - I look forward to your response, comrade. This is the rough and ready set of ideas that I have for the Cuban economy, having visited there, studied it's economy in rough terms and considered what economic measures could be taken.i've never visited Cuba, it's illegal for me to do so at the moment, but in the near future i will and i'll have all this in mind.

[Fulanito de Tal]

Raul is not an absolute dictator or a god, he can't just "sort it out".

Are you sure about that????


http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/durancm/RaulGod.jpg