Is the U.S. Trade Embargo Keeping Cuba Communist?

[Toasty]

Has anyone else thought of this but me? After a debate at my school about whether or not Cuba's embargo should be continued, this occured to me: one of the major reasons for the revolution against Batista was the strong U.S. control of the economy thre; it was, in effect, a banana republic. After Castro's revolution (which was only declared Socialist at a later date to recieve Soviet aid after U.S. refusal), U.S. property and industry was seized.

With the embargo and the seizing of U.S. property, no businesses or industry from the United States is or has been allowed to develop in Cuba. The resulting state is a nation that would be an hour and a half drive away without any sort of U.S. or capitalist influence, a driving force in the popularity and power of Fidel Castro.

George Dubya has said that the "full embargo of Cuba's continent" (snicker) will not end until there are Democratic steps are taken in Cuba. However, I am of the opinion it is the converese--there will be no Democratic steps taken in Cuba until the embargo is lifted. Castro has shown himself to be an opportunist; let's give him an opportunity he can't refuse.

 

[Richard III]

No. Canadian and European firms have been allowed to invest in the Cuban economy, and the state has firmly controlled those investments to be certain that the people remain weak. Many hotels popular with Canadian tourists are run on a "subcontract" basis:

Cuba owns hotels
Subcontractor (Canadian, Spanish or other firm) builds hotel
Subcontractor manages hotel, pays fee for the rights, and flys in foreigners
Subcontractor pays lump sum fee to Castro
Castro then pays the staff for the subcontractor, deducting most of it so that the workers get nowhere near market rates.

Even if the embargo was lifted tomorrow, it would take eons for the system to flush itself out; while there would be a good deal of black market trade, the big problem would be that the people would not benefit directly from any new investments, and so wouldn't even be able to afford to build, invest and buy without themselves being black marketeers, which they can do now anyway.

 

[amadeus]

Castro is keeping the Cubans under a repressive socialist rule. Cuba is now an aging adversary, and Castro should step down gracefully.

 

[Switch625]

Originally posted by rmsharpe
Castro is keeping the Cubans under a repressive socialist rule. Cuba is now an aging adversary, and Castro should step down gracefully.

Which will happen the day after pigs learn to fly.

 

[Archbob]

Originally posted by Switch625


Which will happen the day after pigs learn to fly.

Or when he dies. He's like 80 now, he isn't immortal.

 

[Fez_Monk]

Originally posted by rmsharpe
Castro is keeping the Cubans under a repressive socialist rule. Cuba is now an aging adversary, and Castro should step down gracefully.

When monkeys are ejected rectally.

 

[Zwelgje]

"Or when he dies. He's like 80 now, he isn't immortal."
Almost 80, he's 75:
http://www.cnn.com/resources/newsmakers/world/namerica/castro.html

 

[amadeus]

Geez...why doesn't lung cancer happen to all of the bad people? Castro's been puffing away for a good 43 years now...

After all this time, Fidel can't really be alive...one of his comrades must be doing a "Weekend at Bernie's" thing.

 

[Kublai-Khan]

Originally posted by rmsharpe
Geez...why doesn't lung cancer happen to all of the bad people? Castro's been puffing away for a good 43 years now...

The excellence of the cuban medicine.

Go Castro!

 

[amadeus]

I hope that "Go Castro!" was intended to mean that Castro should 'croak-o.'

 

[Richard III]

And to think that I was going to root for Argentina again in the WC. I will now have to reconsider...

R.III

 

[MajorGeneral2]

He seems to be one of those people who just won't die, doesn't he? It will be interesting when he does. Has he selected a successor? Or will it even matter? Socialist nations are known to have power struggles (like Stalin/Trotsky).

 

[Fez_Monk]

I wonder if they will embalm him, like Lenin.

 

[Toasty]

"Castro's tomb" just doesn't have the same ring to it .

I don't know if Communism will continue or not in Cuba. I think that the U.S. might intervene if the communist gov't continues post-Castro...

Any thoughts?

 

[Fez_Monk]

Originally posted by Toasty
"Castro's tomb" just doesn't have the same ring to it .

I don't know if Communism will continue or not in Cuba. I think that the U.S. might intervene if the communist gov't continues post-Castro...

Any thoughts?

I dunno..I'm sure someone in Washington will propose the idea of (military?) intervention in Cuba if Communism continues, but it won't be likely to actually happen.

 

[amadeus]

Originally posted by MajorGeneral2
He seems to be one of those people who just won't die, doesn't he? It will be interesting when he does. Has he selected a successor? Or will it even matter? Socialist nations are known to have power struggles (like Stalin/Trotsky).

It's like the Kennedy Doctrine...

Every time a Kennedy dies, it's not Ted.

 

[Switch625]

Originally posted by rmsharpe


It's like the Kennedy Doctrine...

Every time a Kennedy dies, it's not Ted.

That was extremely tasteless.

 

[allan2]

While resuming trade with Cuba won't end the communism overnight, communism has more chance of being undermined with it than without it.

As has been said, Castro's days are numbered. Which situation would we prefer after Castro's death--a nation where we've made SOME contacts (through trade and cultural exchanges from travellers), or a nation where we've made none? Do we want to be viewed by the Cuban people as an enemy not on speaking terms, or as a neighbor who talks to them now and then and treats them like a neighbor? Which of these do you think will be more likely to influence the people away from communism?

Openness is good for freedom--isolation isn't. I think it's a no-brainer....

So although our embargo is probably not DIRECTLY responsible for Cuba's continued communism, it certainly isn't helping bring about anything better. "Solutions" that don't work no sirve para nada....

 

[amadeus]

Originally posted by Switch625


That was extremely tasteless.

First, it's merely a joke. Second, Ted Kennedy has more lives than all of the Senate combined. I can't imagine Trent Lott swimming away out of a submerged vehicle and living to tell the tale.

 

[allan2]

"That was extremely tasteless."

Yeah, it was pretty crass, but so is old Chappa-Teddy's having any kind of political career.

His brothers had far more honor in their little toes than he'll ever have in his sizeable frame. He was a spoiled little rich boy who sacrificed a gal's life to save his reputation--the wonder is that the people of Massachusetts forgave him AND MADE HIM THEIR REPRESENTATIVE after he was caught anyway....