- -North Korea;
- -China;
- -Cuba.
Does
socialism work? Cuba 2023
On the Internet, there is
an ongoing debate about whether socialism works or not. Many take the position
of having access to public goods such as education and health care. There is
also a low level of unemployment under socialism. At the same time, socialism
does not meet the requirements of modern man, who is accustomed to exist in an
abundance of goods.
Socialist countries cannot
boast of a large number of everyday products. Some even argue that the
socialist economic model implies the obligatory existence of a political
regime bordering on tyranny. Let’s look at the example of Cuba, whether all
this is really true and how to live in a country with a socialist system in
general.
What is
socialism and why do we need it?
Socialism is a set of
philosophical, political, and economic trends that are responsible for social
justice, the equal distribution of resources, and the same living conditions
for all people, regardless of their class, origin, age, gender, and other demographic
characteristics.
At the moment, there are
not so many countries left in the world that are part of the socialist bloc,
among them:
It should be noted that
China’s socialist orientation is more political than economic. The country did
not abandon socialist values at the political level. However, from the point
of view of the economic model, it turns out to be a rather strange hybrid,
where the capitalist part dominates. In addition, it should be noted that
there are still many countries in the world that are considered socialist, but
if you list them all, you will get an impressive list.
Is Cuba real
socialism?
And here we smoothly
transition to the Cuban model of the economy, and in general the formula of
life. As of 2023, Cuba is still a socialist country, literally at the
epicenter of capitalism. It is still under U.S. sanctions, which have lasted
for more than 60 years since the CIA’s attempt to overthrow the people’s
government in Cuba.
The sanctions really have
a very strong impact on the standard of living of Cubans, since Cuba itself is
not very rich in resources. There are several low-quality oil fields here.
Petroleum products from them cannot be used to produce fuel, so Cuba buys all
the fuel from abroad. This greatly complicates logistics and movement around
the island of freedom.
Che Guevara
It is almost impossible to
trade with neighboring countries, so we have to build relations with Spain,
Italy, and Russia. But these are long and very expensive supply chains.
Therefore, any external resources that can be obtained by Cuba are obtained
with great difficulty and at great expense.
Thus, speaking about
socialism, it is necessary to take into account the difficult economic
situation in which the country finds itself. Nevertheless, even after the fall
of the Soviet Union, the central link of the world socialist camp, Cuba still
remained in its views. This is not surprising. After all, Cubans remember well
the times of Batista’s rule.
Cuba before
the Revolution
Why did Cuba need a
revolution? Was life on the island really that bad? What does an islander
need? He has everything: mangoes, sun, the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the
Caribbean Sea on the other… Of course, this is not enough. What exactly did
the Cuban people lack?
Fulgencio Batista
1. Healthcare. During
Batista’s reign, most of the clinics were private, and the cost of treatment
in them was simply exorbitant. An ordinary worker could not afford to cure his
teeth or any serious disease. Or the cost of treatment could reach his long-term
income.
2. Education. During
Batista’s rule, Cubans were mostly poorly educated. Yes, there were schools
and other educational institutions in the country, but they could not cover
everyone. Some workers may not even dream of a high school education, let
alone a college degree.
3. Works. Ironically,
under Batista’s colonial regime, there must have been plenty of work, albeit
low-paying. However, American economic policy at the time had changed. The
main export product, sugar, was regulated by special legislation that
restricted exports and exports. In this way, the United States reduced its
dependence specifically on Cuban sugar cane and created additional markets for
this product. As a result of this policy, unemployment has risen dramatically.
There was a time when Cubans literally had to buy jobs in order not to lose
work during the season.
4. Security. At that time,
Cuba was an extremely dangerous country with a high crime rate. She was a
leader in many aspects of life: infant mortality was off the charts, people
simply had no money, there was a huge amount of drugs and weapons in the country,
and prostitution flourished. Because of this, in just one moment, Cuba simply
became the capital of the gambling business, where people flocked to get cheap
pleasure and take advantage of the poverty of the Cuban people.
Of course, these are not
all the points that could be listed, but the main ones. The people who led the
socialist revolution sought to liberate Cuba from American colonialism and to
provide the country’s inhabitants with everything they needed for a calm,
secure life, as well as to completely cover all basic human needs, such as
food, work, education, and healthcare.
Cuba after
the Revolution
After the revolution led
by Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara, Cuba began its transformation. The
socialist revolution established the dictatorship of the proletariat, all
national resources were privatized, and the pro-American elite left the island
in its entirety and never returned.
Flag of Cuba
It is difficult to argue
with the benefits of the socialist revolution of those times. In the year
since the revolution, more schools have opened in Cuba than have been opened
in 50 years. All healthcare has become completely free and accessible to all citizens
of the country. Education, both secondary and tertiary, also does not require
payment. If in the time of Batista the cost of electricity in Cuba occupied a
leading position in the world, then after the revolution all electricity for
the people was sold at extremely low tariffs. Even now, in 2023, you will have
to pay from 1 to 3 dollars for electricity in an average housing of 40-50
square meters.
Infant mortality has fallen, while
before the revolution it was the lowest in all of Latin America, Cuba now has
the lowest infant mortality rate in all of Latin America. It may seem to many
that Cuba is a rather backward country despite the revolution, but this is not
entirely true: they even know how to perform the most complex heart transplant
operations, and a Cuban citizen will not pay a penny for such an operation.
So there are a lot of
positive developments, but what about the overall provision of benefits? Is
Cuba so successful in its socialism that even the average person can buy
anything he wants, and in general his life is no different from that of, say,
London or Hamburg?
Cons of
Socialism in Cuba in 2023
Of course, it is
impossible to do without disadvantages. A socialist regime provides a lot to
its inhabitants, but, unfortunately, everyday benefits are not always on this
list. Chocolate is a good example. In Cuba, there are indeed cocoa beans that
can be used to make chocolate, but this chocolate is not very tasty, and it is
not very cheap. Foreign chocolate is a luxury, it is expensive to import, it
costs a lot, and even those who are considered wealthy people in Cuba cannot
always please themselves with sweets.
At the same time, it is
impossible not to note the very deplorable state of Cuba’s architectural
foundation. Yes, there is Havana, part of which has been transformed, rebuilt,
restored in such a way that it has become simply beautiful. But at the same time,
there is a rather terrible Havana, where old buildings from the times of
colonialism have not only lost their facades, they are literally saved with
steel struts so that the collapse of the structures does not occur.
The facades of houses are in
disrepair
All of this is closely
linked to Cuba’s sanctions and foreign policy. The fact is that Cuba produces
its own concrete, but it is of very low quality. It can be made into a village
house, but it is not suitable for restoration. Therefore, we have to buy everything
from abroad. At the same time, Cuba also has problems with paint: there is
very little of it on the island, it is difficult to buy, and it quickly runs
out.
Indeed, food is still sold
by ration cards, and the Cuban people have to pay extra extra. We can list a
number of other disadvantages, such as the unavailability of sports goods, and
in general, a shortage in almost any consumer segment.
Pros of
Socialism in Cuba in 2023
Cuba has many of its own
production facilities as well as its own farms. Due to the fact that the state
monitors those who do business on the island of freedom (and business and
private property have recently become allowed), national producers do not have
to fear for their fate, their products will be in demand. Cuba does not have
the capacity to host farms for the production of surrogates or non-natural
products. Chicken, beef, all the meat that is on the island is natural. The
amount of meat is limited, not every villager can indulge in it on a daily
basis. Nevertheless, all products are natural, high-quality and most often
grown in Cuba.
Schoolchildren in Cuba
Due to the fact that there
are never too many workers, the entire adult population in Cuba has jobs.
There are also professions that allow you to live very comfortably. Among them
are such professions as doctor, military, scientist. Thanks to the socialist
system, Cuba now has one of the best universities to study to become a doctor.
Applicants come from all over Latin America to get a specialty.
And, of course, people do not fear
for their future, they are fully provided with everything they need, from
healthcare to pensions. However, the size of the pension is rather one of the
disadvantages of the socialist system in Cuba. But it should be noted here
that even under capitalism, the pension system does not always provide people
with decent funds for old age.
One of the pluses is also
the Wi-Fi that the Cuban state-owned company has installed throughout the
island. This Wi-Fi is free for everyone. Its speed, of course, cannot be
compared, for example, with the Russian one, but the development of this
direction is only a matter of time.
It should also be noted
that even the residents of the smallest villages still receive education here.
For example, there are villages where only 2-3 children live. The State does
not forget about them and provides all the conditions for them to receive secondary
education. Most often, they are provided with either a transfer to the nearest
school or a teacher’s departure.
Conclusion
Cuba is a contradictory,
interesting and multifaceted country with extremely kind and hospitable
people. Here, time seems to stand still, and everyone passing by is happy.
There is no McDonald’s here, it is impossible to find traditional Coca-Cola
here, but everyone here is fully provided with everything they need and is not
afraid for their future.
What do you think about
Cuba? Does such a socialist system have the right to exist?