[lbo-talk] Cuba to lay off 500, 000 state workers: The beginning of the end of Cuban socialism

Somebody Somebody philos_case at yahoo.com
Wed Sep 15 10:34:03 PDT 2010


To be blunt, the conversation on Cuba seems to be suffering from historical amnesia.

In 1992-1993, immediately following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, thousands of Russian collective and state farms were turned into producers' cooperatives. Did this signal that Russia was ascending to a new type of cooperative socialism? Of course not, it just meant the old socialist system was being dismantled.

The first stage of market reforms in China was characterized by a new flourishing economic sector of Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs). TVEs were a Chinese type of cooperative, small collectively owned small enterprises that grew from the early 80's until the mid 90's. In reality, most TVEs quickly became rather normal private enterprises, and in hindsight were simply a way for the PRC government to dismantle rural commune-based industries of the Maoist era. When they were no longer ideologically required by the late 90's, TVEs were allowed to languish.

Did TVEs indicate that China was moving towards a new type of decentralized socialism? Obviously not, since China is now the second largest capitalist economy in the world.

Let's not fool ourselves. Based upon the record of *every other socialist state of the 20th century*, we know very well what the party has in store in Cuba. I know some people would like to pretend that socialism never existed in Cuba or whatever, but let's be real. A type of economic regime notable for the absence or near absence of a bourgeoisie and the profit motive is being replaced by one where soon workers will be encouraged that "To get rich is glourious".



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