When I was a student of philosophy at the university some 50 years ago, Marxist and socialist ideas were rather popular among my fellow students.
The hottest thing to do was to wear a T-shirt with the portrait of Che Guevara on it. That demonstrated that you were a revolutionary..., well, at least a revolution supporter.
And now, here we are, wondering what happened to the socialist economy of Cuba, wondering how it came into being.
This is actually a remarkable history about an island and the role of the US. Following the Spanish-American War, Cuba gained formal independence in 1902.
However, this sovereignty was constrained by the Platt Amendment, which granted the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and established the naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
I'll save you the details, but Fulgencio Batista's 1952 coup turned Cuba into a repressive military dictatorship.
The inequality of the Batista years, where Havana was a playground for the wealthy while rural peasants faced malnutrition, fueled dissent.
Fidel Castro, leading the "26th of July Movement," launched a guerrilla campaign from the Sierra Maestra mountains.
On January 1, 1959, Batista fled, and the revolutionaries entered Havana. The Shift to Socialism consolidated from the 1960s through the 1980s.
What began as a nationalist movement became a decisive choice for Marxism-Leninism with one big change: abolishing private property as a goal.
This shift was accelerated by escalating tensions with the U.S., leading to the failed Bay of Pigs invasion (1961) and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).
The revolutionary government enacted radical changes. Large estates were nationalized and redistributed. The state took control of nearly all industrial and commercial activity.
Cuba achieved near-universal literacy and developed a world-class healthcare system, though these were funded largely by Soviet subsidies.
For decades, the Soviet Union purchased Cuban sugar at inflated prices and provided fuel at a discount. The reason for this was clear: a geopolitical ally during the Cold War, close to the USA.
This created a new form of dependency, shielding the Cuban economy from the inefficiencies of its own central planning.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was catastrophic. Cuba lost 80% of its international trade overnight.
Severe food shortages, frequent blackouts, and the "Balsero" crisis, with thousands fleeing on rafts to the US, defined this era.
To survive, Castro legalized the U.S. dollar, opened the doors to international tourism, and allowed limited self-employment; however, the state retained ownership of key industries.
This is a fascinating story. To survive, Castro had to use capitalist market-based mechanisms. And we are not yet done with this story. Just wait for the next lecture to complete it.
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
of Economic Thought (2012)
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
24 - Materialism 7 Sept 2022 / 1011
25 - Historical Materialism 5 Oct 2023 / 1088
26 - The Bonobo and the Atheist 9 Jan 2024 / 1102
27 - Artificial Intelligence 9 Feb 2024 / 1108
28 - Why Am I Here 6 Sept 2024 / 1139
The Discussion
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: What was the Balsero crisis?
[13:29] herman Bergson: The emigration to the US
[13:31] herman Bergson: 35.000 cubans came to the US in 1994
[13:33] Max Chatnoir: the rafters....
[13:33] herman Bergson: Large community in Florida.... and many voted for Trump
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): uuh
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and look what he do to them now, starving entire Cuba to death
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): they wanted cheaper eggs to i guess
[13:35] herman Bergson: That makes Cuba such an interesting case...the US - Cuba relation today and its current regime
[13:35] herman Bergson: We'll explore that in the next lecture
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): oki
[13:38] herman Bergson: I only remember the Che Guevara picture from the 70s and the Missle crisis
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm the Missile crisis yes, when the world almost ended right?
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but luckily didnt
[13:39] herman Bergson: yes was under Kenedy...
[13:39] herman Bergson: Very scary moment in history
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): true
[13:41] Max Chatnoir: That will be interesting
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i remember hearing another thig about them loading a test tape for simulating an attack into a computer but did not isolate it from the rest of thee systm so the others thought a readl was was on the way and on the brink of launching a couter nike attack, luckily thet also was averted
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i bet that one was the imspitarion for the movie Wargames
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): (nukig myself soom for unalble to typ) well im a bit tired
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): uuuh
[13:42] Max Chatnoir: I remember that one.
[13:42] herman Bergson: No no..there is this true story of a Russian colonel who saw US bomber approach and he could do two things...
[13:43] herman Bergson: switch on the nuc alarm or assume this must be a glitch of the radar system....he chose the latter and prevented a nuclear war
[13:43] Max Chatnoir: yay, him!
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa i have heard about that one also, sounds familiar
[13:44] herman Bergson: I don't recall his name
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): there were several near misses that could have ended the world
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but we were lucky in the end
[13:44] herman Bergson: yes we were
[13:46] herman Bergson: As I said, a quiet lecture today....nothing controversial to discuss, it seems :-)
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): lets blast off a nuke for that! BOOOOOOOM!
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): lool
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[13:47] Max Chatnoir: Well, what was the problem with Cuba's economy -- that it wasn't really functioning?
[13:47] herman Bergson: Thank you for your attention...:-)
[13:48] herman Bergson: Indeed Max
[13:48] herman Bergson: sinc3 1902 The rich under Batista exploited the poor and lived a luxurious life...
[13:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): their main issue semms that they are totally dependdent on oil. They dont even have central power plants it seems but noisy polluting gas driven generators are EVRYWHERE
[13:49] herman Bergson: then in 1959 as Castro took over they modeled their economy to the Soviet system.....
[13:49] herman Bergson: That didn't work out well
[13:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): nope
[13:49] Max Chatnoir: But that didn't really work.
[13:50] herman Bergson: It had good features like education and healthcare...but the USSR mainly paid for it to keep a foothold close to the US mainland
[13:50] Max Chatnoir: Or was it the isolation of Cuba from other economies?
[13:51] herman Bergson: Due to their choice for the USSR yes...they were isolated and blocked by all kinds of measures of the US,....and still are!
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): so thats where they are now
[13:52] herman Bergson: But I still wonder, what right has the USA to interfere with Cuban politics?
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Trump thinks he is Napoleon 2.0 so
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): it sems
[13:53] Max Chatnoir: I suppose we didn't want a Russian ally quite so close.
[13:53] herman Bergson: No no...it all started already in 1902....
[13:53] herman Bergson: with the Pratt Amandement...
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa yes that the US could do whatever they wanted
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): And now Trump use that to starve the entire island
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): people trying to flee gets sent back immediately
[13:55] herman Bergson: I don't know what he up to
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its awful
[13:55] Max Chatnoir: Well, in an industrial economy, you can't just isolate parts of it.
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): another massacre i the making
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): in
[13:56] Max Chatnoir: All the pieces have to interact.
[13:56] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well true
[13:57] herman Bergson: We'l have a closer look next lecture
[13:57] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): oki
[13:57] Max Chatnoir: Good.
[13:57] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:57] herman Bergson: The.... class dismissed ㋡
[13:58] Lukkie Sands: Nice
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): night all
[13:58] Lukkie Sands: Thank you
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): time to sleep, maybe get a nightsnack beforr
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): e
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): happy weekend!
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:58] Max Chatnoir: See you all soon, then!
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): huggs
[13:58] Max Chatnoir: Thanks, Herman and class.
[13:58] herman Bergson: See you next Tuesday
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
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