Fidel

[Latin American Socialist]

I am not a fidel supporter because of his stalinist laws. Fidel at first wanted a Democratic and free Cuba, but later joined up with the Soviets and Cuba escaped Socialism and went straight to Communism. I don't support his actions, Cuba will eventually lose ties with all countries poverty will rise in Cuba, making people hate Leftism, I am a Coronadist, not a stalinist or trotsktyist. Who here supports his current actions or thinks he is leading Cuba to failure.

[Palmares]

Originally posted by El [email protected] 2 2004, 01:13 PM
Fidel at first wanted a Democratic and free Cuba, but later joined up with the Soviets and Cuba escaped Socialism and went straight to Communism.
I believe him 'wanting' democracy (as in free open elections) was merely a game he was playing to keep the US off his back until he could establish a friendship with the USSR. The later part of your sentence very much confuses me. How did Cuba escape socialism and go straight to communism? Cuba is a socialist nation, just not quite the ideal many socialists would want in a socialist nation. Cuba is not communist, as that would require no classes, equality, true democracy, etc. Communism is the ideal.

Oh, and I don't support Castro (though I prefer him and Cuba over many other nations). Mainly because he is a dictator (I can't be bothered ellaborating at the moment.)

[The Immortal Goon]

I am not a fidel supporter because of his stalinist laws.

While I am not necessarily a supporter of Fidel, I must admit I have a lot of respect for the man. I would challenge the assertian he has Stalinist laws. As far as I know, the laws are far more leniant there then they were in Stalinist Russia.


Fidel at first wanted a Democratic and free Cuba,

This is true. This could be apocrophal, but from what I heard Fidel wanted parlimentry bourgouis democracy and Che had a communist state of mind. When Fidel won the revolution, he went to negotiate a friendship with Ike. Ike would only remain friends with Cuba so long as Cuba didn't take any of the US owned property / factories in Cuba. This would mean that Cuba would have remained exactly as it had in the past. Seeing the wisdom in Che's Leninism (Imperialism, of if you like it better Connollyism), Castro realized that Cuba could never be free so long as the means of production were owned by the US. Through Che he was able to take this a step further and see that so long as production was owned by capitalists, there would be no freedom.


but later joined up with the Soviets and Cuba escaped Socialism and went straight to Communism.

Cuba has never claimed to be a communist (n) state. They are a communist (adj) state in that the people can be described as communist (adj) - but it is not physically communist (n) as there is a state.


I don't support his actions, Cuba will eventually lose ties with all countries poverty will rise in Cuba, making people hate Leftism,

The counter of this has seemed to be true; only the top brass in the US and the rich people and criminals who fled Cuba dislike it. The rest of the world is quite happy to visit. I would, of course, welcome any information I may be lacking in this department as I have been wrong before.


I am a Coronadist, not a stalinist or trotsktyist. Who here supports his current actions or thinks he is leading Cuba to failure.

I do support it, nominally, though it could be done better. My political orientation is in my sig, though i think it's really just a fancy way of saying "Marxist-Leninist." I would be curious to know more about Coronadism. Perhaps a good link?

-TIG :ph34r:

[YKTMX]

I support Cuba against American imperialism but this doesn't mean that it's a socialist nation or that I have any particular goodwill towards Castro.

[__ca va?]

I've learnt throughout the years that the question is not whether Fidel is good but who could be better. And I don't think that anyone else could be better. Of course he should give more freedoms to his people, but that would mean giving them the right to vote (in fact, democracy) or to make economic reforms.
The first way, he would allow the people to vote against him and I'm sure many would do that.
Choosing the latter would mean re-establishing the half-colonial state of Cuba. Because privatizing Cuban industry would interest American capitalists and that way Cuba would be where it had been before the revolution.

[socialistfuture]

I think Cuba is in a difficult position no matter who leads them and what they do at this point. It seems the Batista govt was on the way downhill - it wasnt just the guerillas there was movements in the cities and and in mexico to depose of him.

Once Batista fled and the miliatry buckled there was a prime minister and other posts put up - Castro always maintained he did not want to rule. he told the people that but they wanted him - he was a legend by that time - some called hims a jesus. anyway he became the ruler by popular mandate. he called on the US for help - they rejected him because he nationalized their companies.

in desperation he turned to the USSR and got help. after that the how Cuba/Communism thing happened not before. so it is important to realise it was not a communist revolution initially - he was not on good terms with the Cuban Communist party and was not a member.

The past is the past so no matter what it cannot be used as an excuse for present wrongs. Although the blockade has been in existance for a long time as an attempt to break Castro and Cuba's independance from America and it had been difficult - Cuba has been very authoritarian and some say draconian. Gays, dissentores, christians, artists and poets have been persecuted. People have been locked up and executed. Though the death penalty is not unique it is used in Saudi Arabia, China, USA and many other countries (personally i do not support it).

Also the USA has treid constantly to interfere - funding Cuban exiles from Miami to commit terrorist actions including the cia backed Bay of Pigs invasion. The UN has upheld the US blockade against Cuba even though the marority has voted against it. Cuba has a great education system, healthcare and many volunteers abroad.

While Castro in some ways has been true to the people and his country in other he has rulled like an unelected king. It is hard to tell how much support he has. The Cubans I have met in my country all support him and some speak of him as if he were a spiritual messiah.

I support Cuba in their quest for independance from Yankee Pig Dog Imperialism (hehe) but also in their quest for democratic rights, and control of their own lives - away from the state monopoly of control and power.

Cuba's future is uncertain - the survival of socialism in latin america is also uncertain. With the revolutions of Venezuela and Bolivia hanging in the balance and Chile, Nicaragua, El Salidor and others having experienced the brutal reality of US backed imperialism and counter revolution first hand.

In the sea of blood lies a dream - the dream of Simon Bolivar, the dream of Che Guevara, of Jose Marti, the dream of Salvidor Allende, Sandino, of Daniel Ortenga, of Jose Carlos Mariaregui and so many countless others...

death or freedom... hope and courage
Cuba is not alone

Hasta la victoria siempre!

[Fidel Castro]

I support Dr Castro because I believe that his government has put Cuba firmly on a socialist path, even if it has at times been a shaky one.

Education and healthcare have of course improved quite drematically since the revolution, but so have less well known social services such as community projects, environmential awareness, housing standards and despite the blockade access to computer and other technological education. Counter to popular belief, freedom of speech is widely practiced, religion has been treated with indifference rather than hostility by the state, and homosexuals do have rights under law.

The main difficulties facing Fidel during his time in office have been the constant threat of US military and economic aggression, under-development of Cuban industry and agriculture prior to the revolution and also the difficulties of both being allied to and left without the Soviet Union.

Mistakes? Certainly, arguably in investing too much hope in the Soviet Union, in placing too much hope in tourism and other things I am sure. However on the whole Cuban society has benifited from Fidel's leadership.

[Se7en]

While it's nice to see someone be able to stand up to the United States and survive for so long, I can't say that I really support what Fidel has done in Cuba. He's an enigma to me...he lead the Cubans to victory and was put in a position where he could have changed the meaning of 20th century socialism for the better, but he chose not to. Better luck next time.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

I support Fidel.
What he has accomplished in Cuba is unheard of anywhere else in the world. And his firm stance as an opposer of US imperialism while living less than 100 miles from the United States is extremely admirable and corageous. I do not believe Fidel to be a dictator. And I think Cuba is close, but not perfect model of a dictatorship of the proletariat. :cuba:

And if may I recomend some reading fro the comrades here.... The Cuba Advocate Newsletter (http://www.newhumanist.com/ca.html)

Check out this article (http://www.newhumanist.com/geiser.html) in specific.