> To soften the blow, it said the government would increase private-sector
> job opportunities, including >allowing more Cubans to become
> self-employed, forming cooperatives run by employees rather than
> >government administrators and increasing private control of state land,
> businesses and infrastructure >through long-term leases.
That Cubans are going to form cooperatives is a good idea. If there were no any aid coming from Soviet and other socialist countries, the Cuban revolution would have to rely on agricultural cooperatives and other types of cooperatives for survival and developments. To build socialism on cooperatives - a primordial type of socialism - would be slow, but nonetheless better than nothing if there were no industry to begin with.
Even in "post-industrial" economy like the one in the US, cooperatives can be important to the working people who do not know what socialism is, if at all. Cooperative is one of the several educational tools for workers to get a feel about collectivism before entering the stage of high-level socialism. Many of the lbo posters expressed ennui feeling because not much can be done, given the unfavorable present situation of the pre-revolution period. Helping the unemployed workers organizing cooperatives is one of the things that are worthwhile doing. Another one is to opine for the fair-and-balanced socialism on-line.
Mark
> It's starting to become undeniable that a post-socialist transition is
> underway in Cuba. Raul Castro has now announced that *half a million
> workers* are to be cut from the state workforce. Moreover, he announced
> further reforms to make it possible for these workers to set up their own
> businesses and find employment in the private sector.
>
>
>
> Consider, this is all happening while Fidel Castro is alive and still
> titular father of the country. Does anyone doubt that the drive toward
> capitalist reforms will greatly accelerate after his passing? Although, I
> have no doubt that like China and Vietnam, the ruling elite will still
> profess, with declining fervor, a ritualistic commitment to socialism for
> many years to come.
>
>
>
> So, now the most humane and idealistic of the socialist states joins the
> capitalist club.
>
>
>
>
> Cuba to cut 500,000 gov't workers; reform salaries
>
>
>
>
> By WILL WEISSERT (AP) – 30 minutes ago
>
>
>
>
> HAVANA — Cuba announced Monday it will cast off at least half a million
> state employees by mid-2011 and reduce restrictions on private enterprise
> to help them find new jobs — the most dramatic step yet in President Raul
> Castro's push to radically remake employment on the communist-run island.
>
>
>
>
> Castro suggested during a nationally televised address on Easter Sunday
> that as many 1 million Cuban workers — about one in five — may be
> redundant. But the government had not previously laid out specific plans
> to reduce the work force.
>
>
>
>
> The layoffs will start immediately and continue through the first half of
> next year, according to the nearly 3 million-strong Cuban Workers
> Confederation — the only labor union allowed by the government.
>
>
>
>
> To soften the blow, it said the government would increase private-sector
> job opportunities, including allowing more Cubans to become self-employed,
> forming cooperatives run by employees rather than government
> administrators and increasing private control of state land, businesses
> and infrastructure through long-term leases.
>
>
>
>
> The statement, which was published in state-controlled newspapers and read
> on government-run radio and television, said because of the sheer number
> of workers involved, the layoffs would come slowly, but that they would
> affect all government sectors.
>
>
>
>
> Link:
> <http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ipe0no99xWr_oUrAP-q6PnKLj8XgD9I76E5G0>
>
>
>
>
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