Cuban Economics Essay - 4542 Words

Introduction Modern Cuba is a country born of struggle. The revolutionary movement that formed the modern day government has remained in power for more than forty years. Indeed, the Cuban government is perhaps one of the most stable governments in the region. This fact is made even more evident by the recent fall of democracy in Haiti. However, the past ten years has seen a marked change in Cuban economic policy. Ostracized from the international community and faced with an embargo imposed by the United States, Cuba has turned to various sources of economic reform in order to survive in a global market. Background (1959 – 1991) During the early period after the revolution, Cuba’s primary economic base was based upon one†¦show more content†¦187, 210). During this time period, Cuba depended on the Soviet Union for 98 percent of its oil and seventy-five percent of its total energy needs (Theirot, pgs. 258). Despite Cuban economic woes, the Cubans did enjoy some success in other areas. First, the redistribution of wealth was responsible for reducing malnutrition. Second, the Cuban government established a national health care system that rivaled even developed countries. Third, the Cuban government developed a multilevel educational system that resulted in the near complete elimination of illiteracy. And fourth, the Cuban population was infused with a strong sense of nationalistic pride (Theirot, pgs. 257-258). At the social level, the Cubans managed to address some of the basic problems plaguing other Third-World countries such as hunger, health, and education. However, at the economic level, Cuba still had a long way to go and the need to address economic issues became urgent on the eve of the fall of the Soviet Union. It is this environment of economic decline and political uncertainty that greeted the Cuban Fourth Party Congress in 1991. Transition Point – Fourth Party Congress (1991) Since the 1975, the Cuban Communist Party (Partido Comunista de Cuba, PCC) held a series of meetings known as the Party Congresses. These meetings generally served to celebrate Cuba’s participation in a revolution againstShow MoreRelatedThe Crisis Of The United States1271 Words   |  6 Pagesthat a country economic standing relies heavily on its literacy rate and vice versa, but one country that has proved that wrong is Cuba. Although Cuba currently holds a reputable global standing as one of the best educational systems in the world, this didn t come about without its fair share of struggles resulting from its diplomatic crisis with the United States. The US-Cuba relations is one that statistically should have resulted in the collapse of the Cuban social and economic systems unlessRead MoreShould the U.S. Government Drop Its Sanctions against Cuba?1676 Words   |  7 Pagesbegin falling apart. Cuba lost its international allies and became helpless both economically and p olitically in the international seen, and it is no longer a threat to US interests. In spite of this, in 1992 the US congress passed the so called the â€Å"Cuban Democracy Act†. The sanctions against Cuba strengthened, and the objectives of the sanctions are also transformed from containing communism to bringing freedom and democracy to the people of Cuba. Still, the multifaceted and half a century old sanctionsRead MoreThe Cross Pollination Religious Customs And Material Culture921 Words   |  4 PagesThe cross-pollination religious customs and material culture in the Cuban Diaspora has provided a wealth of indigenous and assimilative sources (Gordon, 2014: 53), and this has afforded Mendive a rich abundance of inherited iconography of fauna, flora and otherworldly phenomena to consume and use in the process of creating his artworks. 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Now capitalism is, â€Å"An economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market â€Å"– Merriam Webster dictionary. Capitalism was founded by Adam Smith. Smith believed that the world of economics fell under â€Å"natural laws†, and that government involvement wouldRead MoreThe Cuban Revolution And Its Effect On Identity1723 Words   |  7 PagesDreaming in Cuban is a novel by Cuban American author Cristina Garcia. This essay focuses on the impact of the Cuban revolution and its effect on identity within the Cuban diaspora. This essay argues that Dreaming in Cuban illustrates the impact of the Cuban revolution on women and how it has affected their identities as Cuban women. Therefore, this essay will assess the structure of the novel, it will identify key historical, and geographical contexts in which these events took place. The essayRead MoreThe Tampa Museum Of Art1308 Words   |  6 Pageswhat was on exhibit. After which, I will choose two works of art and preform an analysis on them. I will employ the formal elements and the principles of design to engage the first piece, â€Å"The Great Journey†. With my second choice â€Å"A Group of Cubans who left Manzanillo are Rescued at Sea†, I will discuss how a pplying an alternative contextual analysis would help in understanding the meaning behind the painting more. The museum was celebrating â€Å"Family Day† as well as Hispanic Heritage Month