Cuba's Current Situation...

[Livetrueordie]

I've heard so much different info on the present state of Cuba. I've been trying to find some reading about it.
This is what i got, make additions/corrections

-Cuba is not a dictatorship: There is one branch of government.
-People address Fidel as Fidel
-There is Free Health care
-90% of the population own a home
-The Crime rate is one of the lowest in the globe (Not sure of exact position or percent)
-The economy could be better but is suffering from US embargo. It's illegal for foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to trade with Cuba.
-Its illegal for an American to purchase any good produced/manufactured in Cuba, even when in a different country such as Canada.
-Cubans are guaranteed US citizenship if they chose to go there.(US permanent resident status, green card.) Must have already set foot in the states.
-The US only gives Cubans living in the US one legal trip to Cuba every three years to visit relatives.
-Cubans life expectancy is 77.(75 Men 78 Women)
-No crap capitalist "Junk" Food
-Free Schooling
-Cuba spends as much money on its military in one year, as the United States Spends in ten hours
-Most doctors per. capita in a free healthcare nation

anything you want to add ill add and then we can make it a sticky when its complete. :D

[Livetrueordie]

NObody has anything???

[Super Mario Conspiracy]

-Cuba is not a dictatorship: There is one branch of government.

Having a government doesn't mean that the country isn't a dictatorship. The Soviet Union had a government, hell even Nazi Germany had a government - but it is the leader that decides it all. There can't be just one man and a lot of guards, it has to be a form of heirarchial structure, i.e. "leader", "vice-leader", "second-vice-leader", "supreme admiral/general" and so on, and so forth.

For example, Fidel can't be voted out of his position, he can't become another "normal" person who work and live like everybody else.

Another example is that only one party is allowed on Cuba, and while it isn't really true (I've heard that there are other parties), those other parties share the same thing as the main party (Cuban Communist Party or whatever they are called).

Many people have said that other parties would only make the whole thing worse, but if the people really like socialism, why worry? Look at Venezuela, Spain and the recent elections in Portugal - in all these elections around 50% voted for a socialist party.

And no one forced them into voting for those parties, they did it by their own free will.


-People address Fidel as Fidel

That is not so relevant. A dictator can give himself whatever title he wants, wheter it is Great Leader, furher or "just" <insert name>.


-90% of the population own a home

I don&#39;t think they "own" it, they rather "have" it. It is still owned and controlled by the state. Then, to what degree and what policies they have regarding housing is up to the state.

Interesting: If you created a homepage within the Cuban network, would you "own" it, that is, would you be able to upload whatever you wanted on that site, or would the state "own" it?


-The Crime rate is one of the lowest in the globe (Not sure of exact position or percent)

I think this is true, socialism does erase many crimes and violations that are normally common in capitalist countries.


-The economy could be better but is suffering from US embargo

That is true. Though, I don&#39;t know if it is true that the US will generate hostility towards a given country that trades with Cuba. I think European countries believes that Cuba is a really grim dictatorship, giving it a grim image and refusing to trade with Cuba because of internal relations.


-Cubans are guaranteed US citizenship if they chose to go there.

I didn&#39;t know that. The question would be if those Cubans "disappear", goes to jail or find themselves on the street when moving to the US...

;)


-No crap capitalist "Junk" Food

True - Cuba lives on "rations".


-Free Schooling

Also true.

[Livetrueordie]

Having a government doesn&#39;t mean that the country isn&#39;t a dictatorship. The Soviet Union had a government, hell even Nazi Germany had a government - but it is the leader that decides it all. There can&#39;t be just one man and a lot of guards, it has to be a form of heirarchial structure, i.e. "leader", "vice-leader", "second-vice-leader", "supreme admiral/general" and so on, and so forth.
yes but don&#39;t the people vote on representatives which would mae democracy...
http://www.periodico26.cu/english_new/cuba...dates240205.htm (http://www.periodico26.cu/english_new/cuba/candidates240205.htm)

[Karl Marx's Camel]

-Cuba is not a dictatorship: There is one branch of government.

Depends what you mean by "dictatorship".

Dictatorship of the party members?

Dictatorship of the proletariat?

There are elections in Cuba.



Links on Cuba&#39;s political system:

http://www.quaylargo.com/Productions/McCelvey.html

http://www.canadiandimension.mb.ca/v37/v37_4kw.htm

http://www.leninism.org/stream/99/mll/0512-danchr.asp



-People address Fidel as Fidel

I have no idea. Why do you ask?



-There is Free Health care

True.


-90% of the population own a home

I doubt so.

Achievements of the Revolution
Housing provision received a relatively high priority in the immediate post-Revolutionary period. Early in the 1960s, legislation was passed to provide security of tenure, to reduce rents and to transform many tenants into owners. Today, many Cubans still have a great deal of security in their housing and pay relatively little for it. Many own outright or pay only around 10% of incomes towards their homes (more like hire purchase than a mortgage). It is illegal to buy and sell housing for profit in Cuba, though residents have rights to exchange housing.

These legal reforms were accompanied by mass building programmes to relieve the worst of the pre-Revolutionary slum conditions. The state took a lead in planning for housing but much of the construction was undertaken on a state-supported ‘self-help’ basis. Castro himself is credited with the idea of initiating microbrigades of workers given leave from their usual occupations to contribute to the construction programmes.

Housing construction continued through the 1960s – 1980s and microbrigades continue to play an important role in housebuilding and renovation today. The long term impact of these policies means that absolute homelessness is practically non- existent in Cuba.

An interesting article... More (http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/cubasi_article.asp?ArticleID=15)



-The Crime rate is one of the lowest in the globe (Not sure of exact position or percent)

Quite possible, although there is a large black market. But let&#39;s not forget this is very common in the third world.



-The economy could be better but is suffering from US embargo

True.


-Its illegal for an American to purchase any good produced/manufactured in Cuba, even when in a different country such as Canada.

Sounds very logical, although I&#39;m not sure.


-The US only gives Cubans living in the US one legal trip to Cuba every three years to visit relatives.

According to my memory, that is correct.


-Cubans life expectancy is 77.

Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 79 years (women).



-No crap capitalist "Junk" Food

What do you mean by "crap capitalist "Junk" Food"?


-Free Schooling

Yes, that is true.

[Livetrueordie]

What do you mean by "crap capitalist "Junk" Food"?
meaning they are trying to sell you the food, not the colorful cartoons on the packaging.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

A socialist society wouldn&#39;t have any benefit of trying so desperately to sell any product. The state does not profit, and so there will be no "colorful cartoons" packed around the food, either.

Perhaps the exception is at the private owned resturants.



-Cubans are guaranteed US citizenship if they chose to go there.

Well, this is taken from my memory.

No.

The only way they are guaranteed US citizenship is if they try to swim across and get their feets on dry ground. If they are not caught on dry ground, they are not allowed to stay.

[pandora]

Cuba has a neighborhood garden network which helps to feed vast numbers of its populace :o

Each neighborhood garden has local leadership, the gardens are truly revolutionary and create sustainablity on a neighborhood region. Forget the U.S. and Europe for a moment, who would also greatly benefit from this model, imagine what this would do for most of Central and Latin America&#33;

In reality many indigenous communities already practice this in Mexico with the ejido lands, but as these lands are being sold and confiscated by the government we see the spector of famine increase.

In some countries of Latin and Central America cooperative farming has phased out, and traditional plants have been lost in respect to starchy white potatos and flours which cause malnutrition.

Anyone who has followed the war of Indigenous cultures with Monsanto over the saving of seeds recognizing that simple customs are becoming revolutionary.

I think through seed saving networks with its Indigenous farms, Cuba can help to create the Revolutionary model for post-modern societies who no longer have contact with their traditional culture, as well as traditional cultures who have already lost contact with the land and seed as part of their culture due to the "Green Revolution" of Monsanto.

In agriculture, the monopolozing nature of Capitalism as expressed with Marx is already light years ahead of other industries in terms of market control.

[Livetrueordie]

A socialist society wouldn&#39;t have any benefit of trying so desperately to sell any product. The state does not profit, and so there will be no "colorful cartoons" packed around the food, either.
This was my point

[Severian]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 08:14 PM
-Cubans are guaranteed US citizenship if they chose to go there.
US permanent resident status (green card). And as NOWG says, the Cubans have to actually set foot on U.S. soil, after rafting over or whatever. Washington ain&#39;t so generous in handing out visas for people to migrate in a safer fashion. Look up the 1962 Cuban Adjustment Act if you want more details.

The other points are accurate.

On the embargo, you might add it&#39;s even illegal for foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to trade with Cuba.

[Iepilei]

Castro&#39;s Cuba has had to struggle through some hard times. Their continued victory against the embargos since the fall of the CCCP has shown that they&#39;re doing something right.

Americans fear Cuba because it&#39;s something you would never expect to find in Latin America; a nation that serves it&#39;s people as best it can and isn&#39;t in the sphere of "America&#39;s Backyard."

Not anymore, atleast.

[RedAnarchist]

Does it really matter how good or bad Cuba is? It&#39;s still better than America in many, many ways&#33; :D

[Iepilei]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2005, 02:07 PM
Does it really matter how good or bad Cuba is? It&#39;s still better than America in many, many ways&#33; :D
It&#39;s much more appealing to the eye, that&#39;s for damn sure.

[Super Mario Conspiracy]

I&#39;ve always wondered how it would be possible to move and live in Cuba. What is required? Would you go directly to prison, or a re-education camp (if they have those)? I mean, in case stuff don&#39;t go as I planned .... :D ...

[Iepilei]

Originally posted by Super Mario [email protected] 26 2005, 12:12 AM
I&#39;ve always wondered how it would be possible to move and live in Cuba. What is required? Would you go directly to prison, or a re-education camp (if they have those)? I mean, in case stuff don&#39;t go as I planned .... :D ...
I&#39;m not sure the procedure to actually "move" there, but I do know that travelling there is a pain in the ass. Most flights to Cuba are routed through Jamaica, seeing as how the US does not allow it&#39;s citizens to go to the island.

If you&#39;re there, you&#39;re also not allowed to spend more than &#036;100 a day, from what I remember.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

What do you mean?

I highly doubt you would be sent to a prison or a re-education camp if you were just trying to get permission to live in Cuba.

[Livetrueordie]

You can go there from anywhere in the US. its illegal to spend money there. Its treason, because Cuba is an american "Enemy"

[Commie Girl]

Check out our website for info on our trip to Cuba (http://www.rdab.ca/cuba)..of course, Canadians are "allowed" to travel where they wish, it was a direct flight from Calgary to Varadero, about 5 hours.

The U&#036; has a wet foot/dry foot policy, meaning if you risk your life to raft to the U&#036;, you are in....if you want a Visa, you are fu**ed.

[Livetrueordie]

added/edited some stuff
Look at this site i found also
http://www.cubasolidarity.com
Has some good stuff in it. Anything not mentioned above plz mention.

[guerillablack]

So what is it. I can&#39;t spend any more or no more than 100. What other enemies besides cuba does US have.

[pandora]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2005, 09:22 AM
So what is it. I can&#39;t spend any more or no more than 100. What other enemies besides cuba does US have.
You are young aren&#39;t you&#33; :lol: No offense just kidding you, but read the cover of the New York Times this week while someone is in Europe and you&#39;ll find he went with a shopping list of "enemies" for Europe to rally with him against.

Take any country that does not surrender the majority of it&#39;s economy to repay the IMF by sacrificing its people to the financial benefit of a small minority of middle men, and you have an enemy.

Actually there are education abilities to go to Cuba, but the trick is it has to be approved on both sides, if Cuba finds the school to be counter-revolutionary then it&#39;s a no go. Some of these laws have changed recently by the state department but in the past several schools brought people in to explore community gardens, and see how things were run more effectively, but I am unsure of current restrictions. You normally do have to go through another country and don&#39;t get your passport stamped. You do have to be educated a little by an approved institute if you want to work on a collective as part of a program, but from what I understand it&#39;s worth it in that you leave with a clear understanding of how to begin community activities where you live.

[workersunity]

yes but we musnt forget like the US SWP does, that cuba is not a workers society, its not owned by the people, although there is alot of good things about it, its not socialist or communist, although near socialism

[Livetrueordie]

idk about the 100 dollars, never heard of this. If you do go to cuba you have to get some kind of spending liscensce. but i&#39;ve also read that customs doesnt really give a shit cuz its a lot of extra work and idotic.

[Super Mario Conspiracy]

Most flights to Cuba are routed through Jamaica, seeing as how the US does not allow it&#39;s citizens to go to the island.

I guess I&#39;m lucky - I don&#39;t live in the US.


I highly doubt you would be sent to a prison or a re-education camp if you were just trying to get permission to live in Cuba.

Well, keeping in mind that I am born in a Western country, and lived and have been exposed in it, exploited others (no, I&#39;m not a boss, but you never know who made the stuff you&#39;re buying in the stores - I simply don&#39;t trust them), and so on.

[pandora]

Pastors for Peace is leading a caravan to Cuba in June from the US and MExico. Get on the bus&#33; I believe it is 1200 &#036; and you are encouraged to get medical supplies to give away. yo recibo permission por este announcement aqui donde de organizicion.

Here is the website, if you have any questions, right now they may be the only ones going from here&#33;
http://www.ifconews.org/Cuba/caravan16/main.htm

[RevolutionarySocialist MadRedDog]

About Cuba:

Cuba is a degenerated workers&#39; state with no real workers&#39; democracy, no planned economy and a bureaucratic centralist leadership.

The fact that not only the means of production are in hands of the state (a state which is not meant to eventually perish) and not of the community, but also that private ownership of a house is a impossibility shows a picture of Cuba as a deformed socialist state, which stands in the tradition os stalinism and maoism.