The Failure Of Castro

[MKS]

Fidel Castro has become synonymous with anti-Imperialism, Socialism, and revolution. He has also become one of the worlds most "successful" dictators, having consolidated is power and destroying any semblance of democracy in Cuba. He has destroyed the lives of thousands through his incompetent economic polices, as well as his tyrannical destruction of civil liberties. All in the name of Revolution. While I recognize Cuba’s contribution to the anti-Imperialist struggle, I cannot ignore Castro and his regime for its crimes against liberty. Hopefully Castro’s days are numbered, and his brother Raul, perhaps more oppressive and dogmatic than Fidel, will be overthrown by a more libertarian and democratic coup.

Castro should not be admired by any serious Leftist, but should be held as an example of great oppurtunity for freedom and equality destroyed by the despotic nature of Modern Communism

[Enragé]

some nuance please, Cuba isnt like the USSR

but, overall, i agree

except for the despotic nature of "Modern Communism"
if anything which describes itself as "communist" is despotic, then it is not communist

[Enragé]

btw MKS why were you restricted?

[MKS]

btw MKS why were you restricted?

I said something radical, and was quickly punished. So much for the "freedom "of Communism right.


if anything which describes itself as "communist" is despotic, then it is not communist

The reality or modern Communism as opposed to the ideal, which is held by almost all "communists" either due to a terrible ignorance or a deep shame of the past crimes of Socialist/communist governments.

[Janus]

He has destroyed the lives of thousands through his incompetent economic polices
Hardly, the gov. was quite successful in pulling things together after the collapse of the USSR. Also, Cuba's economy is severly affected by the embargo and the destruction of their primary backer.

[ebeneezer]

Cuban regime will fall. Raul is not leadership material. He was wearing a bullet proof vest and cap when adressing the troops.

It will not happen internally though after 50 years of brainwashing, the cuabsn don't know anything else.

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.

[R_P_A_S]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 09:06 AM
Cuban regime will fall. Raul is not leadership material. He was wearing a bullet proof vest and cap when adressing the troops.

It will not happen internally though after 50 years of brainwashing, the cuabsn don't know anything else.

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.
the U.S. brainwashes its residents and citizens too. shit! they been brainwashing me for close to 14 years. luckly i started hitting the books and learning about socialism, revolution, communism and real terrorism, fucking imperialist.

[ebeneezer]

Originally posted by R_P_A_S+Aug 4 2006, 09:13 AM--> (R_P_A_S @ Aug 4 2006, 09:13 AM)
[email protected] 4 2006, 09:06 AM
Cuban regime will fall. Raul is not leadership material. He was wearing a bullet proof vest and cap when adressing the troops.

It will not happen internally though after 50 years of brainwashing, the cuabsn don't know anything else.

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.
the U.S. brainwashes its residents and citizens too. shit! they been brainwashing me for close to 14 years. luckly i started hitting the books and learning about socialism, revolution, communism and real terrorism, fucking imperialist. [/b]
Oh shit, you're so luck to learn about that... I mean I am so free to read Ayn Rand or Milton Friedman in Cuba. LOL.

[Enragé]

I said something radical, and was quickly punished. So much for the "freedom "of Communism right.

..I'll make some inquiries in CC


The reality or modern Communism as opposed to the ideal, which is held by almost all "communists" either due to a terrible ignorance or a deep shame of the past crimes of Socialist/communist governments.

dont know if i got this

but, you mean to say that almost all communists support the reality of "modern communism"? Almost none of 'em do :P Only the odd crazy stalinist, and when people say they support fidel thats not to say they think cuba is perfect.

Fidel, for all intents and purposes, did do some good things for cuba, that is undeniable.

[bezdomni]

We need the US to smoke the joint
Yes! Marijuana reform! :D

[MKS]

dont know if i got this

but, you mean to say that almost all communists support the reality of "modern communism"? Almost none of 'em do Only the odd crazy stalinist, and when people say they support fidel thats not to say they think cuba is perfect.

I meant to say that many modern Communists are quickly to denounce the examples of practical Socialism/Communism/Marxism (i.e. Russia, Cuba, China) as not "true communism", but however the reality falls short of the ideal, the reality is still more tangible and therefore it is true communism. Much like many Catholics denounce the crimes of the Church by saying the Clerics were perverting Catholicism, however those same clerics used Catholic ideology in order to perpetrate their crimes.


Hardly, the gov. was quite successful in pulling things together after the collapse of the USSR. Also, Cuba's economy is severly affected by the embargo and the destruction of their primary backer.

While the embargo did do damage to Cuba's economy, it was Fidel’s failed agrarian policies as well as other economic missteps that heavily damaged Cuba’s economy. If not for Chavez in Venezuela Cuba would still be facing an energy crisis. I just read an article in The New Yorker, written by John Anderson (Che author). The article is very insightful about the attitudes of Cuba's people. He comments that many Cubans are ready to see Fidel go, and look forward to a more liberal society once he is gone. While Cuba reveres Fidel, they know he is now just a power hungry despot.


Fidel, for all intents and purposes, did do some good things for cuba, that is undeniable.

I agree, but he has also done some very bad things for Cuba, and continues to do so. He is oppressive towards the press, and any criticism of the government is subdued by force and arrest (much like Chavez’s regime), Cuba is not a democratic society, and most recently Fidel was listed as one of the richest people in the world by Forbes magazine, while the Cuban people are perhaps the poorest in the hemisphere.

[Janus]

but however the reality falls short of the ideal, the reality is still more tangible and therefore it is true communism. Much like many Catholics denounce the crimes of the Church by saying the Clerics were perverting Catholicism, however those same clerics used Catholic ideology in order to perpetrate their crimes.
Still, it doesn't make it right nor does it make the USSR communist.


it was Fidel’s failed agrarian policies as well as other economic missteps that heavily damaged Cuba’s economy
Agrarian policies gave way when the USSR fell. Cuba was very dependent on Soviet oil, pesticies, and herbicides. The Cuban economy used more pesticides than the US I believe.


and most recently Fidel was listed as one of the richest people in the world by Forbes magazine, while the Cuban people are perhaps the poorest in the hemisphere.
That is because Fortune assumed that Fidel was rich since he was President of an entire nation. The Cuban people's living standards have fallen since pre-1991 levels but aren't the poorest.

[Janus]

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.
The US has already tried to do that. They have even gone so far as to support terrorist actions against Cuba.

Also, check out Operation Northwood.

[Comrade Hector]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 01:22 AM
Fidel Castro has become synonymous with anti-Imperialism, Socialism, and revolution. He has also become one of the worlds most "successful" dictators, having consolidated is power and destroying any semblance of democracy in Cuba. He has destroyed the lives of thousands through his incompetent economic polices, as well as his tyrannical destruction of civil liberties. All in the name of Revolution. While I recognize Cuba’s contribution to the anti-Imperialist struggle, I cannot ignore Castro and his regime for its crimes against liberty. Hopefully Castro’s days are numbered, and his brother Raul, perhaps more oppressive and dogmatic than Fidel, will be overthrown by a more libertarian and democratic coup.

Castro should not be admired by any serious Leftist, but should be held as an example of great oppurtunity for freedom and equality destroyed by the despotic nature of Modern Communism
Fidel Castro is indeed one of those successful "dictators" as you put it. Regardless of what people like you think, he still remains very popular among the Cuban masses. Fidel Castro destroyed the pro-American Batista dictatorship, but I suppose that and every other extreme right third world dictator qualifies as "democratic" by your standards. Because of the revolution brought Cubans a far better life than the pro-American regime; their literacy rate is exceptionally higher than in the USA, homelessness is non-existent, their education is far better not to mention their medicine. Yeah, very incompetent. No country is without hardships, howver should Cuba fall under the US jackboot again they'll be in the same situation as most Third World countries being raped by Washington and/or NATO. The Cuban Solidarnosc, the Varela Project have no real popularity among the Cuban people so I suggest you flush out any stupid idea of a pro-American regime emerging in Cuba through counter-revolution.

[colonelguppy]

Originally posted by R_P_A_S+Aug 4 2006, 04:13 AM--> (R_P_A_S @ Aug 4 2006, 04:13 AM)
[email protected] 4 2006, 09:06 AM
Cuban regime will fall. Raul is not leadership material. He was wearing a bullet proof vest and cap when adressing the troops.

It will not happen internally though after 50 years of brainwashing, the cuabsn don't know anything else.

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.
the U.S. brainwashes its residents and citizens too. shit! they been brainwashing me for close to 14 years. luckly i started hitting the books and learning about socialism, revolution, communism and real terrorism, fucking imperialist. [/b]
what you mean with public education? i agree.

[MKS]

Because of the revolution brought Cubans a far better life than the pro-American regime; their literacy rate is exceptionally higher than in the USA, homelessness is non-existent, their education is far better not to mention their medicine.

The assertion that the average Cuban's life is better now than pre-revolution is ludicrous. Cubans for the most part live in overwhelming poverty, especially in the rural areas. Was the pro-American regime better? I don’t think so, but it was perhaps equal in terms of economic hardships. While Cuba enjoys social healthcare and does have access to better medicine than other Latin American nations, it is in no way better than US healthcare, don’t compare access to quality because quality of healthcare in the US is exceptional, access on the other hand is tragically unequal. The best evidence of the quality of life for Cubans is in the great numbers of immigrants and refugees who still risk their lives in order to escape Cuba.


but I suppose that and every other extreme right third world dictator qualifies as "democratic" by your standards.

Democracy in Latin America is almost non existent thanks to US Imperialism, but to call Cuba democratic is a fallacy, not only do Cubans not enjoy free elections, freedom of the press is limited as well as any anti-government action. Chavez in Venezuela is taking a page from Fidel's handbook and establishing another regime which undermines basic human rights and liberties.

Cuba’s economy is so bad that Fidel reversed his anti-US Dollar stance not too long ago and allowed the currency to once again be traded and used freely in the nation. Tourism now is the greatest source of income for the small island, proving that Fidel is incompetent economically. As Batista also enjoyed high revenues thanks to US (and other western) tourism.

[Janus]

Cubans for the most part live in overwhelming poverty, especially in the rural areas.
Like I said, living standards have fallen since 1991. A lot of it has to do with the embargo as well.


While Cuba enjoys social healthcare and does have access to better medicine than other Latin American nations, it is in no way better than US healthcare, don’t compare access to quality because quality of healthcare in the US is exceptional, access on the other hand is tragically unequal.
Cuba is in need of medicinal supplies and the US only recently lifted the sanctions on that.

[Noah]

I don’t think so, but it was perhaps equal in terms of economic hardships

You're forgetting that prior to the revolution many Cubans were illeterate and they had hardly any schools and universities which should be a fundamental right and also that no one pays for education in Cuba.

Ofcourse, if the government made the people pay for themselves they would generate revenues and become better economically but that's not what Cuba aims for.

Both of these could become big industries and give Cuba a better economy but they wouldn't be free and the service would probably decrease.

A Cuban goes to the dentist (who is open 24 hours a day) 4 times a year for free! Do you know how much a dentist is in England and you only got 1 or 2 times a year. They could also generate revenues from this but this isn't the objective, Cuba doesn't value money over human rights.

The average age of a Cuban is 77.4 and the average age of the American is 77.5 so you have got to recognise that in face of such a large and powerful country a third world country such as Cuba has done very well.


The best evidence of the quality of life for Cubans is in the great numbers of immigrants and refugees who still risk their lives in order to escape Cuba.

You make it sound like most Cubans hate Fidel. History repeats itself my friend and after over 50 years of so-called dictatorship, how come the Cuban people haven't overthrown the regime?

[Enragé]

I meant to say that many modern Communists are quickly to denounce the examples of practical Socialism/Communism/Marxism (i.e. Russia, Cuba, China) as not "true communism", but however the reality falls short of the ideal, the reality is still more tangible and therefore it is true communism. Much like many Catholics denounce the crimes of the Church by saying the Clerics were perverting Catholicism, however those same clerics used Catholic ideology in order to perpetrate their crimes.

well catholicism has been perverted as well.
But on top of that, catholicism in and of itself is flawed.

Communism isnt.


and most recently Fidel was listed as one of the richest people in the world by Forbes magazine, while the Cuban people are perhaps the poorest in the hemisphere.

thats because forbes went about it like this

"Fidel...hmm..oppressive ruthless dictator...calls himself COMMUNIST...omg...well...lets see what the whole of cuba makes a year, ...% of that is 700 million [or sumthin], hurray we&#39;re geniuses :D Fidel has 700 million" <_<

[Publius]

Hardly, the gov. was quite successful in pulling things together after the collapse of the USSR. Also, Cuba&#39;s economy is severly affected by the embargo and the destruction of their primary backer.

I believe that between Castro&#39;s rise and, I think 1997, there was no overall rise in GDP.

Accross a 50 year span, no increase in overall wealth.

"Quite successful."

Look at the growth, in that same period, of Hong Kong, of Singapore, of South Korea, of Japan and tell me an open economy is not the better system.

[MKS]

A Cuban goes to the dentist (who is open 24 hours a day) 4 times a year for free&#33; Do you know how much a dentist is in England and you only got 1 or 2 times a year. They could also generate revenues from this but this isn&#39;t the objective, Cuba doesn&#39;t value money over human rights.

Cuba, or better the Cuban government dosent value human rights. The government is very restrictive of the press. Just recently a member of the Cuban gov&#39;t was abmonished for trying to stop an anti-castor protestor at the World Baseball Series. Any opposition to the government is met with prison and/or fines. Any government that prohbitis basic liberties is not concerned with human rights.



Fidel...hmm..oppressive ruthless dictator...calls himself COMMUNIST...omg...well...lets see what the whole of cuba makes a year, ...% of that is 700 million [or sumthin], hurray we&#39;re geniuses Fidel has 700 million"

What other conclusion could you make, since the average Cuban lives in abject poverty? Where does all the money go?


Like I said, living standards have fallen since 1991. A lot of it has to do with the embargo as well.

While the US embargo is a factor, Cuba can still trade with most other western nations as well as China and Japan. The economic difficulties the nation is facing are for the most part the fault of Castro and his Communist Party.


Both of these could become big industries and give Cuba a better economy but they wouldn&#39;t be free and the service would probably decrease.

There are Deomcracies in this world that have Social healthcare (Canada, Germany, UK, France etc).Cuba is not unique in its healthcare system.



You make it sound like most Cubans hate Fidel. History repeats itself my friend and after over 50 years of so-called dictatorship, how come the Cuban people haven&#39;t overthrown the regime?

Many Cuban expatriates do hate Fidel. The ones who remain have gornw indifferent to him (I use the Anderson article as a source). There has been opposition to Castro, but his regime is very dominant and repressive and meet all opposition with violence, terror and prison.

Castro liberated Cuba and then imprisoned it again in a new tyranny. One of the greatest revolutions in history was destroyed by Marxism.

[black magick hustla]

Originally posted by [email protected] 5 2006, 12:11 AM


Hardly, the gov. was quite successful in pulling things together after the collapse of the USSR. Also, Cuba&#39;s economy is severly affected by the embargo and the destruction of their primary backer.

I believe that between Castro&#39;s rise and, I think 1997, there was no overall rise in GDP.

Accross a 50 year span, no increase in overall wealth.

"Quite successful."

Look at the growth, in that same period, of Hong Kong, of Singapore, of South Korea, of Japan and tell me an open economy is not the better system.
GDP means nothing.

There are other things that are clearly much more important, like mortality rate, iliteracy rate, children living in the street, etc.

I am not of a fan of Cuba, but looking at the welfare of countries only by taking into account the GDP is being lazy.

[Ander]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 09:11 PM
I believe that between Castro&#39;s rise and, I think 1997, there was no overall rise in GDP.

Accross a 50 year span, no increase in overall wealth.

"Quite successful."

Look at the growth, in that same period, of Hong Kong, of Singapore, of South Korea, of Japan and tell me an open economy is not the better system.
What is the point of GDP growth if the wealth does not go to benefit the nation and instead remains in the pockets of the elite minority?

[Enragé]

What other conclusion could you make, since the average Cuban lives in abject poverty? Where does all the money go?

as if 700 million is alot countrywide.

Look
they have good healthcare, high literacy rates
thats where the money goes.

Honestly, what would fidel gain now by stockpiling money?
What would he do with it? If he had any palaces, you&#39;d see pictures of &#39;em everyday on american tv&#33;
Go abroad one day? When? he&#39;s 79 for christ sake.

[Axel1917]

Originally posted by ebeneezer+Aug 4 2006, 09:19 AM--> (ebeneezer @ Aug 4 2006, 09:19 AM)
Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 09:13 AM

[email protected] 4 2006, 09:06 AM
Cuban regime will fall. Raul is not leadership material. He was wearing a bullet proof vest and cap when adressing the troops.

It will not happen internally though after 50 years of brainwashing, the cuabsn don&#39;t know anything else.

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.
the U.S. brainwashes its residents and citizens too. shit&#33; they been brainwashing me for close to 14 years. luckly i started hitting the books and learning about socialism, revolution, communism and real terrorism, fucking imperialist.
Oh shit, you&#39;re so luck to learn about that... I mean I am so free to read Ayn Rand or Milton Friedman in Cuba. LOL. [/b]
Who in their right mind would want to waste time reading Ayn Rand in the first place? Even the official bourgeois ideology recognizes her as a lunatic.

Cuba has its problems as a deformed workers&#39; state, but it is far better than capitalism. Look at how well other capitalist Carribbean nations like Haiti are doing in comparasion.

[MKS]

Cuba has its problems as a deformed workers&#39; state, but it is far better than capitalism. Look at how well other capitalist Carribbean nations like Haiti are doing in comparasion.

What&#33;? Democracy and free trade would be far better than the authoritarian Socialism which exists now. Capitalism has its faults, but it is the best system in existence. The problem with Cuba and most of the Carribean island nations is the corruption of the State and the Imperialism of the US.

[PRC-UTE]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 06:02 PM
I meant to say that many modern Communists are quickly to denounce the examples of practical Socialism/Communism/Marxism (i.e. Russia, Cuba, China) as not "true communism", but however the reality falls short of the ideal, the reality is still more tangible and therefore it is true communism. Much like many Catholics denounce the crimes of the Church by saying the Clerics were perverting Catholicism, however those same clerics used Catholic ideology in order to perpetrate their crimes.
Objective conditions are more important for communism than subjective ones, ie good intentions. Even some bourgeois historians admit that third world communism is more third world than communist.

Yet despite that, the revoutions have made incredible gains that have helped working people everywhere. I think a big part of the problem is that few people look at socialist revolutions in the context they occured and compare them to a purely mythic, unnattainable utopian goal. The point of socialism is to make life better, which Cuba has certainly done, not to solve all problems.

[PRC-UTE]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 09:06 AM
It will not happen internally though after 50 years of brainwashing, the cuabsn don&#39;t know anything else.

We need the US to smoke the joint, show the Cubans the US will not tolerate the regime and cubans will push it out.
But it didn&#39;t work out so well last time, did it, scum? ;)

And this time, a U&#036; invasion would face retaliation by Venezuaula cutting oil supplies. Then you can walk fifty miles from your subdivision to work.

[Janus]

Democracy and free trade would be far better than the authoritarian Socialism which exists now.
The problem with free trade is that it is never actually free.

Capitalism has its faults, but it is the best system in existence. The problem with Cuba and most of the Carribean island nations is the corruption of the State and the Imperialism of the US.
You just admitted that imperialism is a problem so why do you blame Cuba for trying to get awy from it?

[MKS]

You just admitted that imperialism is a problem so why do you blame Cuba for trying to get awy from it?

I actually gave Fidel credit for his anti-imperialism, however his own method of government is faulted and anti-libertarian.

[Janus]

What other conclusion could you make, since the average Cuban lives in abject poverty? Where does all the money go?
There is hardly any money. Fidel lives pretty modestly.


While the US embargo is a factor, Cuba can still trade with most other western nations as well as China and Japan. The economic difficulties the nation is facing are for the most part the fault of Castro and his Communist Party.
Any ship that goes into Cuban ports cannot go into a US port so that stops a lot of foreign trade with Cuba.


Any opposition to the government is met with prison and/or fines. Any government that prohbitis basic liberties is not concerned with human rights.
That&#39;s because a lot of the opposition is funded by the US. In the US, if an opposition force was receiving funds from an enemy state, they&#39;ll be arrested as well.

[Publius]

GDP means nothing.

It means they&#39;re still poor.



There are other things that are clearly much more important, like mortality rate, iliteracy rate, children living in the street, etc.

Yes, and people in prison, people not being allowed to leave the country, not having basic human freedoms; there&#39;s that issue as well.

If you want to pore through the stats, compare Cuba to some of the Asian tigers. Life expectency for instance. Cuba is 51st, while Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan are in the top 10.

Cuba is 64th in literacy.

I can&#39;t find any poverty statistics for Cuba.

I&#39;ll grant you that Cuba has been more successful than many of its neighbors in areas of health care and education. That&#39;s without doubt. But I can&#39;t help but imagine how much things could have been better.



I am not of a fan of Cuba, but looking at the welfare of countries only by taking into account the GDP is being lazy.

Take other things, if you&#39;d like.

In no way is Cuba anything other than a middling country.

[Noah]

Cuba is 51st

And what? America, with all it&#39;s high tech medical equipments and diets and trainers is only 0.1 years ahead of Cuba, at like 77 or 74 I can&#39;t remember, it&#39;s one of those years.

Also Cuba is a third world country Japan isn&#39;t.

The point is, in comparison to other third world nations in south America and other parts of the world, Cuba is a haven.

[Publius]

And what? America, with all it&#39;s high tech medical equipments and diets and trainers is only 0.1 years ahead of Cuba, at like 77 or 74 I can&#39;t remember, it&#39;s one of those years.

Also Cuba is a third world country Japan isn&#39;t.

I wonder (I don&#39;t actually know) what Japan&#39;s GDP per capita was in 1950, compared to Cubas?



The point is, in comparison to other third world nations in south America and other parts of the world, Cuba is a haven.

No, Cuba is despotic hellhole.

But that doesn&#39;t mean there aren&#39;t worse despotic hellholes in the area. Haiti, for instance.

This says nothing about the &#39;success&#39; of the Castro government, just the failure of other governments and the realization that a more moderate, liberal policy could have predicated greater prosperity.

But yeah, if you compare Cuba to a bunch of other despotic regimes and failed states, it looks OK, but if you compare it to states that have industrialized, modernized and liberalized, it&#39;s a joke.

[freedumb]

Publius, realistically, it would not have been very likely that Cuba would have followed the success of Japan, etc, if it had continued with the economic model pre-Castro.

Japan had a state-guided mercantilist approach which tremendously aided economic development, growth, etc. In contrast, Cuba and other latin American economies were basically havens for US corporations - open slather for the rape of natual resources and using the land to export cash crops, at the expense of the majority of the population.

Batista was basically crushing internal opposition to faciltate Cuba&#39;s status as a US economic colony. To suggest that this focus would have changed if Castro had not succeeded, doesn&#39;t make sense.

Cuba would be another Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, El Salvador, etc today if it were not for Castro. This &#39;closed&#39; v. &#39;open&#39; talk ignores the economic aims of Cuba pre-Castro, and the economic aims of East Asian economies that have successfully developed and raised living standards. If you look at the economic history of Latin America, any nation that doesn&#39;t serve as a US economic colony always comes in for a beating, whether that be Cuba, Allende&#39;s Chile, FSLN Nicaragua, etc. The US OPPOSES economic development in Latin America if it is at the expense of US Business interests - that is elementary.

At least now Castro&#39;s economic decisions are made with the good of Cuba at heart, not the good of US investors. I&#39;m not saying that Castro&#39;s approach to the economy is ideal, but to compare Cuba today with the Japan, and other East Asian economies that pursued state-guided development, is disingenous.

[Publius]

Publius, realistically, it would not have been very likely that Cuba would have followed the success of Japan, etc, if it had continued with the economic model pre-Castro.

Oh, I&#39;m not denying that.

Pre-Castro Cuba was not a good place at all.



Japan had a state-guided mercantilist approach which tremendously aided economic development, growth, etc.

Zaibatsu.



In contrast, Cuba and other latin American economies were basically havens for US corporations - open slather for the rape of natual resources and using the land to export cash crops, at the expense of the majority of the population.

Essentially, yes.



Batista was basically crushing internal opposition to faciltate Cuba&#39;s status as a US economic colony. To suggest that this focus would have changed if Castro had not succeeded, doesn&#39;t make sense.

Not would have; could have.

Things could have changed, it could have been a success. Not under Batista, but under a real revolution, a real democracy.



Cuba would be another Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, El Salvador, etc today if it were not for Castro. This &#39;closed&#39; v. &#39;open&#39; talk ignores the economic aims of Cuba pre-Castro, and the economic aims of East Asian economies that have successfully developed and raised living standards. If you look at the economic history of Latin America, any nation that doesn&#39;t serve as a US economic colony always comes in for a beating, whether that be Cuba, Allende&#39;s Chile, FSLN Nicaragua, etc. The US OPPOSES economic development in Latin America if it is at the expense of US Business interests - that is elementary.

And it&#39;s also wrong and something I oppose.



At least now Castro&#39;s economic decisions are made with the good of Cuba at heart, not the good of US investors.

"Intent you can eat"?


I&#39;m not saying that Castro&#39;s approach to the economy is ideal, but to compare Cuba today with the Japan, and other East Asian economies that pursued state-guided development, is disingenous.

Idealistic.

It&#39;s how things COULD have been.

[Yamashita]

Cuba has its problems as a deformed workers&#39; state, but it is far better than capitalism. Look at how well other capitalist Carribbean nations like Haiti are doing in comparasion.

Other Caribbean nation"s", like Haiti....i thought you used the plural? lol