Communist Cuban government announces innovative plan to overhaul its struggling economy

Communist Cuban government announces innovative plan to overhaul it

english.aljazeera.net

At least half a million Cubans stand to lose their government jobs by early next year, after the Cuban Labour Federation blamed "bloated payrolls" and losses for the economy. The state, which employs 85 per cent of the country's workforce, said it will ease restrictions on private enterprise to help those laid off find new jobs. The government said the move to restructure Cuba's economy -- under state control for 50 years -- is designed to raise productivity, and includes a rare acknowledgement

(visit the link for the full news article)

that the previous model has failed. Al Jazeera's Tom Ackerman reports.

Interesting solution that the Cuban government came up with. Potential business owners will be allowed to use state owned materials and buildings to start business.

Of course promoting free enterprise in America would never catch on, because the corporations, lobbiests, and multiple governments would never be able to agree on a simple plan.

english.aljazeera.net
(visit the link for the full news article)

The best thing Castro could do is admit, "Communism sucks" and open Havana back up to the casinos. That would rock!

"Interesting solution that the Cuban government came up with. Potential business owners will be allowed to use state owned materials and buildings to start business."

Sounds great but nothing in life comes for free...especially from the government..soon they will all be government run businesses when this fails

reply to post by signal2noise



That era wasn't much better for the Cuban people. It was a mafia run puppet government that exploited them. This is probably why Castro's extreme found support. When you have one extreme people swing fairly hard to the other. Cuba will probably turn into a tourist trap like the rest of the Gulf islands though.

I think the solution should be to have the Government get the heck out of the way and let the free market take over. Cuba has lots of resources and would BOOM in the tourism business, more so than now!

Communism fails. Look through out history! It flat out does not work! Why do Left Wingers insist that Socialism and Communism is the way to go?

I was always taught growing up if you keep doing the same thing over and over and it keeps failing; yet you continue to do the same thing again, you are insane. You can't expect a different result when you continue to do the same thing over and over!

Anyone who has a half a brain can see that the only government that works is a Democratic one. Democracy becomes a problem only when corruption runs rampant, like it does now. Clean up the mess and we fix the problem. The problem isn't rules needing to be enacted, the problem is that we need to enforce the ones we have on the books ALREADY!

- Try Congressmen for treason.
- Have public hangings of any elected official that is doing something illegal.
- Hold them accountable!

For too long our backs are being pressed against the wall. When will enough be enough and we swing back and push ourselves out of the corner...?

People who believe that Cuba is a communist failure need to shut up and research history.

In the 80s they managed to aid Angola in the military defeat of advancing South African apartheid regime (supported by the Americans). This is the main reason why the US still maintains the embargo on Cuba.

Then what happened during the 90s, during the "special period" after the Soviets were no longer able to aid Cuba? The Cuban economy crashed big time, but the Cuban people, through the extreme discipline that the Soviet system invokes, managed to survive without any imports. The four communist Cuban foundations of health care, social programs, food programs, and education all held strong and the so called "failure" of the Cuban government managed to keep its people alive with a strong approval rating.

People who see failure in Cuba obviously don't know what they are even looking at, because they persevered during the worst of times, especially when the Yanks kept trying to push revolution on them. How many assassination attempts were made on Castro by the CIA? I think it's around 700 now. No wonder why they want him dead, because everyone with half a brain knows he is one of the greatest revolutionary leaders of all time who actually cares about his people.

I was always taught growing up if you keep doing the same thing over and over and it keeps failing; yet you continue to do the same thing again, you are insane. You can't expect a different result when you continue to do the same thing over and over!

That, good sir, is the stupidest argument I ever heard to discredit communism. Lenin and his Boshelviks didn't lose when they conquered Russia from the imperialists AND fought off invasions all over Russia by allied nations (including the UK, US, Canada, etc). Cuba has had the same government for over 60 years, and the party maintains an approval rating of over 85% (which is a vote of either for or against the system). China is still based on Mao's communist principals and is only engaged in the international market because that's how it exerts global power.

The only times communism has failed is when the US moves in, massacres the leftists, bombs anything that could be the basis of a national economy, and then instills a brutal pro-US tyrant regime that can keep the population beaten down into submission to avoid another revolution (which is called "liberation" and "democracy"). Anyone who believes capitalism works in the modern world must be either blind, retarded, or drinking too much tap water.

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


..."through the extreme discipline that the Soviet system invokes..."
Oh. By discipline do you mean tyranny and murdering people? Is that what you mean? Cuba STILL, has starving people. They STILL persecute those who do not agree with the current Government. They STILL murder people they deem unfit to the State.

Cuba is a failure and has been failing ever since that murdering Che and Castro took power. In that order. Stop defending the murderous and horrible ways of the Communists!

I think you need to shut up.

Originally posted by NeverApologize
reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

 

..."through the extreme discipline that the Soviet system invokes..."
Oh. By discipline do you mean tyranny and murdering people? Is that what you mean? Cuba STILL, has starving people. They STILL persecute those who do not agree with the current Government. They STILL murder people they deem unfit to the State.

Cuba is a failure and has been failing ever since that murdering Che and Castro took power. In that order. Stop defending the murderous and horrible ways of the Communists!

I think you need to shut up.

Read my edit, it was made just for you.

And I'm actually educated specifically on the Cuban revolution and I've met many professionals who have been there and observed the reality of the situation. Also you probably know nothing about Cuba before the revolution, back when the US still controlled it and the mafia ran most of its industry. Yeah, really successful

Starving? On average during the special period, Cubans lost at least 25 pounds. This was clearly because the Americans held an embargo in place TO STARVE THEM INTO SUBMISSION, it was the Cuban government who maintained social programs that ensured the people got fed. For $2 a day, the Cuban people survived on meals, gas, travel, and any other expenses. How much do you spend on coffee a day, probably over $2, right? Over three billion people in the world live off of $3 a day because they survive, not in excessive decadence like us in the West.

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


I'm sorry. You obviously dodge facts and base your beliefs on feelings. I can not hold a serious debate with you.

Communism and Socialism FAIL. Give me ONE, example where communism has not murdered millions. Starved millions. Oppressed basic human rights. Tortured "dissidents". Raped freedoms from people. Propagated hate for minorities. (Yes, Che and Hugo were/are HUGE known racists! They DESPISE people who are not like them!)

You can not come up with an answer. If you do it will be nothing but lies or more dodging of my questions and FACTS.

Communism KILLS.

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


Also, is it my fault that I make a good living and work hard? Are you saying that I "spread it around to others"? If you are you can go straight to Hell... It is no ones business how much I make and I am certainly not going to be made to feel bad about it. It is the people of TOTALITARIAN and Communist regimes that are the starving ones living on $3 a day. You just blew up your own argument. Thank you for the ammunition.

Go read a book that isn't The Times or The Post.

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

Cuba has had the same government for over 60 years, and the party maintains an approval rating of over 85% (which is a vote of either for or against the system).

Apparently only 15% of Cuba's population is unhappy.

Originally posted by NeverApologize
reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

 

I'm sorry. You obviously dodge facts and base your beliefs on feelings. I can not hold a serious debate with you.

Communism and Socialism FAIL. Give me ONE, example where communism has not murdered millions. Starved millions. Oppressed basic human rights. Tortured "dissidents". Raped freedoms from people. Propagated hate for minorities. (Yes, Che and Hugo were/are HUGE known racists! They DESPISE people who are not like them!)

You can not come up with an answer. If you do it will be nothing but lies or more dodging of my questions and FACTS.

Communism KILLS.

I think if you chill out for two seconds, clear your mind and re-read this thread, you will clearly see that I am the one posting real facts while you are dodging facts and basing your beliefs on your feelings.

Maybe you should try to say something realistic if you want a real discussion because I've heard the same American exceptionalist rubbish a million times before. Your system doesn't work, it does not have to do with other sovereign countries and when you assume you are right and push your system on other people, it only pisses the world off. In case you have not noticed, the US's main industry is the military industrial complex, and the people in charge of the oil/security/Zionist lobbies are the ones in control of the US: meaning that the US survives by causing war and suffering and capitalizing off of it. So obviously you wouldn't understand the reality of the Cuban situation, because they stand for everything that threatens the future of your county: FREEDOM.

Also, is it my fault that I make a good living and work hard? Are you saying that I "spread it around to others"? If you are you can go straight to Hell...

I don't know WTF you're talking about.

It is no ones business how much I make and I am certainly not going to be made to feel bad about it. It is the people of TOTALITARIAN and Communist regimes that are the starving ones living on $3 a day. You just blew up your own argument. Thank you for the ammunition.

Gee, maybe if you got it through your head that it only takes $3 to live off of around most of the world, then you might not be obsessed with the idea that you need to spend $20 on a meal, or $50 to refill gas in your car, or $1200 a month for rent. In fact in Cuba, they have housing provided by the government.

You seem to think that the Cuba situation is wrong, because it is the opposite of America. Rest assured they all think the very same about you.

And I did not "blow up" my argument, you just have the inability to understand it because you clearly have a lack of experience in contemporary ideology.

Go read a book that isn't The Times or The Post

LOL Yeah, because I read your petty American newspapers

Maybe you should read books by Marx, Engels, Lenin, Guevara, and Castro in order to gain real insight into what Communism is really about and why it works for them and their people. If you do and you still think you deserve to have more money than anyone else without sharing, then you're one greedy capitalist pig and if you believe in hell then it surely has a place for sinners like you

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

..."through the extreme discipline that the Soviet system invokes..."

On average during the special period, Cubans lost at least 25 pounds.

For $2 a day, the Cuban people survived on meals, gas, travel, and any other expenses.

Over three billion people in the world live off of $3 a day because they survive, not in excessive decadence like us in the West.

Maybe America could learn a few lessons about starving it's own population from the rest of the world.

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

Your system doesn't work, it does not have to do with other sovereign countries and when you assume you are right and push your system on other people ...

... obviously you wouldn't understand the reality of the Cuban situation, because they stand for everything that threatens the future of your county: FREEDOM.

Are the cuban people happy and free?

What is it like to be free?

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


I nominate you for most twisted view of the Geo-Political Landscape! You are seriously not understanding what I am writing. You still have not given me any examples of a working Socialist or Communist State. Tick Tock, Tick Tock...

Ding ding ding! There ISN'T ONE!

Quite the imagination and amount of time it took you to bash America! Don't cry to us for help whent he next disaster occurs. We are are hated but guess who's door the World knocks on when SHTF? OURS!

Put aside your smug attitude and superior Canadian wit and humor and listen closely: Communism and Socialism does NOT work. Plain and simple. You have been unable or unwilling, to give me any instances where it works. Until then I will continue to be a donut eaating, god fearing, gun toting PROUD AMERICAN.

You can kiss my Country ass.

Originally posted by In nothing we trust

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

Your system doesn't work, it does not have to do with other sovereign countries and when you assume you are right and push your system on other people ...

... obviously you wouldn't understand the reality of the Cuban situation, because they stand for everything that threatens the future of your county: FREEDOM.

Are the cuban people happy and free?

What is it like to be free?

In truth, no people are free under any government.

Communism requires discipline among its people in order to reap the benefits of the system. It is, after all a class-less system where the government is given the liberty to run the entire system instead of private interests that are easily corrupt. The reason why the Cuban system has lasted so long is because of Castro's long life and Che's involvement in the beginning. Both are true heroes that billions of people look up to, and the Cubans support them with hearts and minds.

But when I speak of freedom in contemporary terms, I mean the freedom of conscience. There is little of it in America, where politicians are elected because of popularity, and are funded infinitely from outside sources (the American Supreme Court ruled that these money sources are to be secret, so Obama could have been funded by Israel, China, Iran, Yemen or even Canada for all anyone knows). Is there a political left in the US? Yes, but the real American left will never see media coverage, and considering most Americans base their political beliefs off of TV politics, they will never have a real understanding of the left.

This is especially apparently after the anti-leftist crackdowns during the Cold War, including McCarthyism that spread to all NATO countries. People's lives destroyed because they believe in unity, not competition between themselves. That's very sad.

reply to post by NeverApologize


I have given you clear examples. If you are unable to read, then that is your problem so get off my back.

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


Wow. I have never met a real live Communist before. Am I correct in saying you consider yourself Communist?

Communism is a class-less syste?

Sorry. I'm off the floor now... Really? Really dude?

Originally posted by NeverApologize
reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

 

Wow. I have never met a real live Communist before. Am I correct in saying you consider yourself Communist?

Communism is a class-less syste?

Sorry. I'm off the floor now... Really? Really dude?

No, I'm not a Communist. I'm utilitarian; I believe in happiness for myself but my people first, and I will defend them with fire if necessary. You do not need to be a communist to understand their system.

And yes, Communism is class-less, that's the entire point of it. Class leads to inequality, are you saying inequality is the right way to go? American example: top 10% of rich Americans own more than the rest of the US combined. They don't share the money or distribute it back into the economy, instead they invest it in foreign markets (globalism) in order to make more money and become international corporations.

Why do you think your country is falling apart? Because the government won't invoke "socialist" policies which regulate your money staying inside your country. So what is the US government solution? Print up trillions of American dollars out of thin air in order to create artificial inflation (MORE of it) in order to lower the value of the American dollar, SO MORE FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND COMPANIES CAN BUY MORE US TREASURIES. You're selling your own country out more and more! This is complete madness, and you call Cuba a failure?