[Wilhelm]

Not a full democracy. We're going in circles now. As shown before, democracy is not just the rule of the majority, it involves a lot of other things.

Cuba has a dictatorship of the Communist Party, and there is a democracy within the party, but Cuba does not have a democracy.

[Rinty]

Cuban elections do not allow any parties to stand - and that includes the Communist party. There are almost 100% turn outs or as close to it as is possible. People choose their representatives at almost every level affecting their lives, most candidates are local and known.

Of course Cuba's system is not the same as a parliamentary, multi-party system. But to suggest that Cuba has no democratic elections and Cuban people do not have democratic choice is just ignoring the facts.

[Forge]

Cuba has elections, but it is far from a Democracy.

From a personal standpoint: My uncle and cousin both protested the Castro regime on various occasions. No weapons, no violence, just your usual shouting and marching, similar to recent anti-Bush rallies in the U.S. Both were arrested and served brief prision sentences for "undermining the revolution." This is routine over there, but the stance has since softened slightly, allowing men like Oswaldo Paya to voice their opposition. Anyone who is getting clubbed right now for the same reasons would say otherwise, however. There is a national press, but no opposition can be found in the editorial pages of magazines like GRANMA. Contrast that with the virtual onslaught of Anti/For Bush/Kerry op-ed pieces prior to the November election.

My great-uncle wasn't Pro-Batista and yet, the Castro regime seized his lands with no explanations asked. Another uncle owned a print shop, and that, too was taken away from him. No private enterprise was allowed for anyone in my family or elsewhere since Castro took over. No one was allied with Batista. Everyone stood for free elections, equal rights, free enterprise, and a two-party political system. All were for normal U.S. relations AND the right of Cubans to govern themselves. Only my mother was Pro-Castro, and this lasted until Castro announced he was Marxist-Leninist. Then she quit working for the government and was sent to raise hogs at the labor camps.

And before my Leftist friends here jump on me, my mother still admires Che, Camilo, and the initial intentions of the Revolution to this day, despite the things that happened to her. She, my aunt and myself are about 2% of the only center-left, Anti-Bush faction in my overall 98% Republican-leaning family.

To digress no further: Medicine is socialized in Cuba, (free) but when a cousin of mine needed an intracular lens for eye surgery, she asked us to obtain it from a friend in Madrid, because her local hospital had no supplies to perform the operation.

And yes, they routinely ask for toilet paper, soap, and other "scarce" items which are generally available only on the black market. The dollar's entry into the economy had improved things somewhat until Castro phased it out once more, earlier last month. We feel we have Bush to thank for that, due to his " sudden" (read: election time) hardline stance regarding trips to Cuba and the sending of money and supplies he adopted just prior to Castro's decision.

Footnote: When my dad visited my ailing grandmother, everyone wiped themselves with newspaper when using the toilet. The same material the London Times or the New York Post is made of, my friends.

Ouch.

Is the U.S. still exploiting Cuba as in the good ol' days of Batista and the "Banana Republic" era?

Nope.

Does Cuba employ a Democratic system similar to the ones enjoyed by the United States, Canada, and Western Europe?

Next time you're in the toilet, you tell me.

[redstarline]

If Cuba is being compared to western Europe in terms of democracy, can i just point out that, Fidel Castro has to stand for election and get more than 50% of the vote (after a selection process not controlled by party politics, involving tens of thousands of candidates), he is then elected to his role as President by the national assembly of elected representatives of the people of Cuba. the turn out is over 90% of people over 16.

In my own country the United Kingdom our head of state is Queen Elizabeth II who was never elected and got the job when her fatehr died (he was unelected too). Our Prime Minister was elected leader of his political party by the political party, the parliamentary party and the affiliated trade unions (not the general public), the PM has to then win his consitituency seat, in the most recent case Tony Blair won with 26,110 votes or 64.9% of the vote. His party won the most seats in the UK but only had 40% of the national vote. The turn out was just about 60%.
So at the end of the day, no one chooses our head of state and a political party choses our Prime Minister and can change the Prime Minister without an election.

It is also worth pointing out that despite what Tony Blair might say the UK is not under attack from anyone, let alone a hostile aggressive superpower just 90miles away.

[redstarline]

The Council of State of Cuba has convened elections this April for delegates to the 169 municipal assemblies of People’s Power (local government) on the island.

A decree signed by President Fidel Castro and circulated today by the national press affirms that voters should attend the partial elections on April 17 (the first round) to elect their representatives for a two and a half-year term.

The following Sunday, April 24, has been set aside for a second round in constituencies where none of the candidates attain more than 50% of the valid votes cast, the document notes.

According to the country’s Electoral Law (Law 72 of October 1992), the Council of State must convene these elections at least 90 days previously.

Some eight million people aged over 16 with no mental or legal impediments should participate in these elections, given that on reaching voting age Cubans are automatically registered on the electoral rolls.

The candidates are proposed in local meetings or on a personal basis, although they should have the approval by raised hands of their neighbors.

A minimum of two and a maximum of eight candidates stand in every constituency. They cannot make personal propaganda and their nominations are presented via CVs placed in public areas.

Up to 50% of the elected delegates, representing the mandate of their voters, can become members of the National Assembly (single-chamber Parliament) if elected as deputies by popular vote.

Partial elections take place every two and a half years in Cuba for the municipal assemblies and every five years to elect delegates to the provincial assemblies and deputies to Parliament. (PL)

[Messiah]

Cuba is a single party state as you know. this means tha there are no elections or political parties etc.

There are elections and political parties in Cuba.

[Eauz]

I've read in a few books written by people who spent time there, that when there was a debate or a need for change in something, people in Cuba were often given the chance to ask questions and critisize the doings of the government. I wish I had the quote from the book, but nonetheless, it speaks of a group of people searching for something, and months after Castro's stance against them was seen, he then decided that the opinions of the people were actually better in the whole, and he implemented a plan which worked for the people questioning the system. The people actually spoke with the man, and not someone representing him. It would be like having a job, and not being pleased with something, you would rather speak with the person in charge, than the marienettes which represent this person.

The best I can do in a western society to come to this is talk with my politician, and quite often, he takes it, and then ignores it or it falls on deaf ears.

Anyways, I did find the book name I read from, but I can't find the book right now... "Cuba: The Test of Time", written by Jean Stubbs

[Messiah]

Rendering of Accounts and the Right of Recall


Delegates traditionally meet at six-month intervals
with their constituents in small neighbourhood meetings
to give an account of themselves, hear complains, solve
problems and discuss various initiatives. August
describes several such meetings which he attended.
Topics ranged from the cost of meals on the lunch wagon
to the administration of healthcare. As happens from
time to time, if constituents are unsatisfied with
their delegate they can recall him or her and hold
another election.

http://www.leninism.org/stream/99/mll/0512-danchr.asp







Municipal elections called in Cuba

The Council of State of Cuba has convened elections this April for delegates to the 169 municipal assemblies of People’s Power (local government) on the island.

A decree signed by President Fidel Castro and circulated today by the national press affirms that voters should attend the partial elections on April 17 (the first round) to elect their representatives for a two and a half-year term.

The following Sunday, April 24, has been set aside for a second round in constituencies where none of the candidates attain more than 50% of the valid votes cast, the document notes.

According to the country’s Electoral Law (Law 72 of October 1992), the Council of State must convene these elections at least 90 days previously.

Some eight million people aged over 16 with no mental or legal impediments should participate in these elections, given that on reaching voting age Cubans are automatically registered on the electoral rolls.

The candidates are proposed in local meetings or on a personal basis, although they should have the approval by raised hands of their neighbors.

A minimum of two and a maximum of eight candidates stand in every constituency. They cannot make personal propaganda and their nominations are presented via CVs placed in public areas.

Up to 50% of the elected delegates, representing the mandate of their voters, can become members of the National Assembly (single-chamber Parliament) if elected as deputies by popular vote.

Partial elections take place every two and a half years in Cuba for the municipal assemblies and every five years to elect delegates to the provincial assemblies and deputies to Parliament. (PL)


http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/enero/mar4/02elec.html