A Cuban and his son.

posted by The Vidiot @ 7:44 AM Permalink

We cannot really say that Cuba suffers from underdevelopment as compared to many African and Latin American countries. Cuba's political and economic systems have actually de-developed the country. Cuba has actually regressed in its development course. Cuba's infrastructure is worse today than it was fifty years ago. Its people look impoverished, hopeless and hardened. And the embargo is not the main culprit. Cuba's leadership under Raúl has admitted that equal salaries, the lack of private property and social many safeguards have obstructed the path to modernization, economic development and rising standards of living. Of course, the leaders do not talk about the strangling political system Cuba's economic collapse. The background music is about a love and passion for an alienated woman. As I see pictures of my land and my people, I listen to the words of the song and think not only of my alienation from my love, but even more sadly, the alienation of my people from themselves and their land (patria). The hardships of the last fifty years show vividly in their bodies, faces, movements and expressions. The black and white tones of some pictures of Cuba bring out the contrasts between what Cuba is today and what it could have been if people like you and me had been given the chance to fix the wrongs of the past. I know I'll be too old for that. But maybe you will . . .

Always proud of you, your father.

_____________________
I am Cuban but have been denied access into my own culture. We need revolution in Cuba and the complete overthrow of its present system. Yet, you are using some of your words rather carelessly. First among your list of culprits are equal salaries. Equal salaries are not necessarily the problem. This can be argued from two points. First, the problem of unequal salaries has helped place a ruling power elite at the center of control of our military, economic, and political institutions of power. These power elite have wreaked havoc on not only the people by denying them access to their abundance but spread war and death across the globe only to expand their concentration of wealth, power, and influence.

Second, the argument of equal wages suggests the old, worn out, tired, and disproved theory that human motivation to labor is based on financial incentive. I will defeat this argument any time and day of the week. The second point suggested is the problem of private property. We should strive as a human race that all people have equal access to the abundance that the capitalist means of production can create. This means that modernity has brought a situation that the capitalist means of production is capable of freeing up human labor, that is, severely reducing the amount of human labor needed to produce this abundance that satisfies human want and needs. People all over the world would become free to work as free men on their own human potential, capability, desires, and, in essence, their human drives.

In Cuba, as elsewhere, we continue to enslave that vast majority of people to produce the abundance that they are ultimately denied. This is due to private property---private property that is owned and controlled by the few ruling elite. How do you justify this? This must be resolved. And when we refer to private property we are not talking about your house, car, or even small business. What we are talking about is control and ownership of the material production of labor and the results of this labor---in short---the abundance that ninety-five percent of the population is denied.

You talk of the path of modernization. Just what does this mean? I know what the popular term means and how it is misused and abused by the mainstream media, and the irresponsibly directed academic departments around the country, but what do you mean? What has modernization brought and to who? Let us have a quick look.

Modernization has placed a few people at the center of control of the three most powerful institutions that shape history---political, economic, and military establishments---and though somewhat autonomous they are not independent---they are indeed intimately connected (At present the American nation-state is devaluing the dollar only to give trillions to the corporate elite). Modernization has created a capitalist system recklessly exploiting the globe. The Capitalist uses the nation-state to set policy and the military agenda to destroying everything in its path, rape people, extract land resources, rid opposition, drop bombs, vaporize people, starve-out noncompliant countries, create war, in short, control every possible resource that exists. These resources are stolen and will be controlled by the few power elite who only acts in accordance with the logic of their institutions. Disease, poverty, despair, death, destruction, misery, and suffering, follow this path. Poverty is increasing, so is disease and death. Let us not believe the ideologies that our corporate-controlled media feeds us. The rising standard of living for the majority is insignificant compared to the concentration of wealth accumulation of the rulers---it is not even close. It is the powerful who deny the rest a rising standard of living, who deny the masses of the abundance so that they can remain in control of our powerful institutions. I can go on.

It is my dream to take my PhD and bring it to my country, Cuba, and change the situation. But I will not make the mistakes of the failing American system. I will not help create a system of injustice, of capitalism, of war and misery. I will not deny people access to what the capitalist means of production can produce. Individuals should have complete access to private property---there is no limit to private property---all can live well and work not for a capitalist but according to the natural abilities and creative drives. I will denounce all remnants of the Castro regime; Communism, and all those other economic and political labels that we give. They are all corporate capitalists for undemocracy. I hope that one day I will return. I hope that one day I will give meaning to your kind words "Always proud of you." I have yet to earn those words and make them meaningful. I am working on it.

Love, your son.

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