Ok you are right about the relation between employers and employees (AKA capitalists and workers), but I disagree with you about socialism/communism is a real alternative. You see, I am from Cuba, a socialist country and here the people (the working class) is 100 time worst than capitalist countries. Zero political freedom, we as workers don't have the strike right, unions respond to government, miserable wages, poor working conditions and exploitation. Sorry, in my experience socialism and communism are not rhe solution, they are something worst than capitalism.
Postdata: most of african and asean poor countries are under a colonialism/feudalism system, not under a capitalist one.
Thanks for responding @yecier, I really appreciate it :=) No offense intended, but yours is the typical response given by almost all Cubans whose families have fled the revolution. I'm originally from Latin America myself (Suriname), and my sister and I are now residents of The Netherlands; my sister has just returned from a month's vacation in your beautiful country of origin, and knowing of this typical response, she made it a point to ask the people and workers she met there about their opinion on Cuban communism. The typical answer you get there goes something like this: yes, life is hard, yes the government takes almost all earnings (I've heard some 90 percent in taxes, comparable to the rate in America in the 1950's, 60's and 70's, something people tend to forget), but they all know a lot of the difficulties are caused by the decades long sanctions, and finally they're all damned proud of what they've been able to accomplish as a collective, as a people, like having the best level of literacy, like the fact that their healthcare and medical systems make America's look like total shit and so on...
You hear the same from citizens from the former Soviet Union after the capitalist oligarchs have taken over their countries; they wish they could go back to communism, when everything was fair and everyone had a chance to get a good education and healthcare. The joke that went viral there some decades ago goes like this: "what did capitalism achieve in few years that communism wasn't able to achieve in many decades? Answer: "Make communism look good."
Now, don't get me wrong here: I don't know what system will turn out to be "the best", but I do know it won't be the ideologically "pure" forms we learn about in theory-books. What I also know however, and this is just a matter of empiricism, is that capitalism is the worse and most unfair, least egalitarian and unjust system of the bunch. We have democracy in theory alone; in practice all real power resides with the people who've accumulated insane levels of material wealth, made possible by the capitalist ideology (yes, it's an ideology). Socialism and communism are its antidote in the sense that they promote democracy in the material sense, with democratic control over the means of production, of capital.
That's my two cents; spend them as you see fit ;-)
I not offense because for a tourist or people who live outside Cuba is easy to get confuse by government propagand.
For your info I live in Cuba and almost all hotels belongs to Cuban Army Forces so that workers if say anything else don't be blame the embargo have the high risk of being fired and even get a judicial sanction.
1000 people is in jail for pacific protest against communism and government. The legal process was shitty: fake evidence, fake witnesses and exagerate sentence based on the retaliation desire of give an example for the rest of us. This not prevent the disguss and other protest (small ones due instant repression and internet shutdown).
Yes Cuba is beautifull country, yes embargo exist but is not the main problem. Was the Communist government to prohibite cuban people go to hotels for decades (right now make an economic apartheid charging hotels in USD only knowing the people is unable to have that currency), is the Communist that don't allow freedom of speach, that make illegal move food (even small amounts) from a city to other, that make illegal the workers right to go on strike, that deny enter or out the country to cuban citizens just because they ideology, and a long etc.
If you are unable to see that the Cuban government and communism is just a totalitarian system, if you are not capable to criticize in Cuba all things you criticize in capitalism or you never allow happend in your country, sorry for this but that maked you an hypocrite. None people who defend working class, if they have truly commitment with the workers, should defend Cuban system and government.
CUBAN MINIMUN PENSION: 6 dollars per month
1 pound of rice: 0.8 usd
1 pound of pork meat: 1.6 usd
1 egg: 0.25 USD
That is not fault of embargo. Luxury hotels that remain emptys are build here with 100% cuban state capital, luxury cars are buyed in USA for political use, but for food and medicines are not money. What a curious thing eh?
If your sister or you come to Cuba again, go outside the touristic or hotels zones, maybe you see the real Cuba and not the magazine one.
Thanks for adding this info @yecier. And I'll admit that if it comes to your word against my sisters' who only spent 4 weeks in Cuba, I'll have to go with your word. And yes, as far as I know she spent her time in the touristic zones mainly, although she also visited a tobacco farmer (he's the one who informed her about the 90 percent tax rate). I'm also aware that the situation in Cuba is deteriorating fast, not only because of Trump's tightening of the sanctions (closing off remittances for example), but many other factors as well, like the flood of cheap oil from Venezuela drying up. I'm unpleasantly surprised, I must admit, with the highly repressive state and the abominable human rights situation in your country. Maybe the leftist media, where I get most of my information, is indeed romanticizing the situation there too much; honesty demands I face that possibility, and your little report here has opened that door a little further. And I can't blame you for not supporting socialism or communism when you've had to deal with such repression your whole life. I wish I had the means to come visit myself; I would look outside the touristic zones to get a fair appraisal of the situation. But in the meantime I'm grateful for people like yourself to keep me grounded. Thanks again my friend :-)
Having said that, the very real problems you mention here have little to do with socialism, and much more with authoritarianism; the two aren't mutually exclusive, just like capitalism and authoritarianism aren't mutually exclusive. The democracy I spoke of (and dream of) is absent politically and economically, which makes it indeed worse than most western nations where there's at least the veneer of political democracy.
In closing I have a question: have you written any posts on the political and economic situation in your country? If so, I'd appreciate a link so I can read it :-)
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Ok you are right about the relation between employers and employees (AKA capitalists and workers), but I disagree with you about socialism/communism is a real alternative. You see, I am from Cuba, a socialist country and here the people (the working class) is 100 time worst than capitalist countries. Zero political freedom, we as workers don't have the strike right, unions respond to government, miserable wages, poor working conditions and exploitation. Sorry, in my experience socialism and communism are not rhe solution, they are something worst than capitalism.
Postdata: most of african and asean poor countries are under a colonialism/feudalism system, not under a capitalist one.
Thanks for responding @yecier, I really appreciate it :=) No offense intended, but yours is the typical response given by almost all Cubans whose families have fled the revolution. I'm originally from Latin America myself (Suriname), and my sister and I are now residents of The Netherlands; my sister has just returned from a month's vacation in your beautiful country of origin, and knowing of this typical response, she made it a point to ask the people and workers she met there about their opinion on Cuban communism. The typical answer you get there goes something like this: yes, life is hard, yes the government takes almost all earnings (I've heard some 90 percent in taxes, comparable to the rate in America in the 1950's, 60's and 70's, something people tend to forget), but they all know a lot of the difficulties are caused by the decades long sanctions, and finally they're all damned proud of what they've been able to accomplish as a collective, as a people, like having the best level of literacy, like the fact that their healthcare and medical systems make America's look like total shit and so on...
You hear the same from citizens from the former Soviet Union after the capitalist oligarchs have taken over their countries; they wish they could go back to communism, when everything was fair and everyone had a chance to get a good education and healthcare. The joke that went viral there some decades ago goes like this: "what did capitalism achieve in few years that communism wasn't able to achieve in many decades? Answer: "Make communism look good."
Now, don't get me wrong here: I don't know what system will turn out to be "the best", but I do know it won't be the ideologically "pure" forms we learn about in theory-books. What I also know however, and this is just a matter of empiricism, is that capitalism is the worse and most unfair, least egalitarian and unjust system of the bunch. We have democracy in theory alone; in practice all real power resides with the people who've accumulated insane levels of material wealth, made possible by the capitalist ideology (yes, it's an ideology). Socialism and communism are its antidote in the sense that they promote democracy in the material sense, with democratic control over the means of production, of capital.
That's my two cents; spend them as you see fit ;-)
I not offense because for a tourist or people who live outside Cuba is easy to get confuse by government propagand.
For your info I live in Cuba and almost all hotels belongs to Cuban Army Forces so that workers if say anything else don't be blame the embargo have the high risk of being fired and even get a judicial sanction.
1000 people is in jail for pacific protest against communism and government. The legal process was shitty: fake evidence, fake witnesses and exagerate sentence based on the retaliation desire of give an example for the rest of us. This not prevent the disguss and other protest (small ones due instant repression and internet shutdown).
Yes Cuba is beautifull country, yes embargo exist but is not the main problem. Was the Communist government to prohibite cuban people go to hotels for decades (right now make an economic apartheid charging hotels in USD only knowing the people is unable to have that currency), is the Communist that don't allow freedom of speach, that make illegal move food (even small amounts) from a city to other, that make illegal the workers right to go on strike, that deny enter or out the country to cuban citizens just because they ideology, and a long etc.
If you are unable to see that the Cuban government and communism is just a totalitarian system, if you are not capable to criticize in Cuba all things you criticize in capitalism or you never allow happend in your country, sorry for this but that maked you an hypocrite. None people who defend working class, if they have truly commitment with the workers, should defend Cuban system and government.
CUBAN MINIMUN PENSION: 6 dollars per month
1 pound of rice: 0.8 usd
1 pound of pork meat: 1.6 usd
1 egg: 0.25 USD
That is not fault of embargo. Luxury hotels that remain emptys are build here with 100% cuban state capital, luxury cars are buyed in USA for political use, but for food and medicines are not money. What a curious thing eh?
If your sister or you come to Cuba again, go outside the touristic or hotels zones, maybe you see the real Cuba and not the magazine one.
I FORGOT TELL YOU, PEOPLE ARE DIYING IN CUBA FOR LACK OF MEDICINES, LACK OF HOSPITAL HIGIENE, LACK OF AMBULANCES, ETC.
PLEASE SEARCH INFO BEYOND GOVERNMENT AND LEFT GROUPS (FINANCED BY CUBAN GOVERNMENT) PROPAGANDA.
IF YOU WANT READ MY POST ABOUT THE SITUATION HERE.
I REPEAT, I LIVE IN CUBA.
Thanks for adding this info @yecier. And I'll admit that if it comes to your word against my sisters' who only spent 4 weeks in Cuba, I'll have to go with your word. And yes, as far as I know she spent her time in the touristic zones mainly, although she also visited a tobacco farmer (he's the one who informed her about the 90 percent tax rate). I'm also aware that the situation in Cuba is deteriorating fast, not only because of Trump's tightening of the sanctions (closing off remittances for example), but many other factors as well, like the flood of cheap oil from Venezuela drying up. I'm unpleasantly surprised, I must admit, with the highly repressive state and the abominable human rights situation in your country. Maybe the leftist media, where I get most of my information, is indeed romanticizing the situation there too much; honesty demands I face that possibility, and your little report here has opened that door a little further. And I can't blame you for not supporting socialism or communism when you've had to deal with such repression your whole life. I wish I had the means to come visit myself; I would look outside the touristic zones to get a fair appraisal of the situation. But in the meantime I'm grateful for people like yourself to keep me grounded. Thanks again my friend :-)
Having said that, the very real problems you mention here have little to do with socialism, and much more with authoritarianism; the two aren't mutually exclusive, just like capitalism and authoritarianism aren't mutually exclusive. The democracy I spoke of (and dream of) is absent politically and economically, which makes it indeed worse than most western nations where there's at least the veneer of political democracy.
In closing I have a question: have you written any posts on the political and economic situation in your country? If so, I'd appreciate a link so I can read it :-)
Info is outhere you only need to contrast different sources. Answering your question, yes I write some post, here the links:
https://ecency.com/hive-167922/@yecier/cuba-manual-for-a-economical-disaster
https://ecency.com/hive-167922/@yecier/cashless-society-vs-democracy-and-privacy
https://ecency.com/hive-167922/@yecier/cashless-society-vs-democracy-and-privacy
I miss this one, check it too, is in spanish but is the most complete one:
https://ecency.com/hive-167922/@yecier/cuba-subyugada-panorama-general
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