[Nautilus]

Is there any democracy on Cuba?

[QatzelOk]

Tons of it.

[Wilhelm]

Care to explain? I don't think there's democracy in Cuba, it's a backwards one-party dictatorship, as seen in the USSR.

[CheLives]

Here is a big list of links I compiled on numerous subjects related to Cuba - there is a section on the elctoral system.

that being said - marxist theory has a different view of what democracy is than the way its theorized under capitalism.

for eg, marxist argue that in capitalist society there is a class dictatorship of the capitalist class and their agents over the working class. within that class dictatorship, there is a limited form of political democracy, within narow confines, that in essence renders the masses largley powerless.

anyway....


CONTEMPORARY CUBA: ISSUES AND ANSWERS



FAQ and Myths Regarding Cuba

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/faq.htm

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html

http://www.cubasolidarity.com/aboutcuba/lies/index.htm


The Cuban Political System: How Elections Work

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html

http://www.quaylargo.com/Productions/McCelvey.html

http://www.canadiandimension.mb.ca/v37/v37_4kw.htm

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


Cuba Replies to Charges of Human Rights Abuses

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html

http://www.nscuba.org/Docs/Derechos/Roque-27mar01.html

http://www.ratb.org.uk/frfi/141_rights.html

http://www.cubaminrex.cu/English/libro% ... gl%E9s.htm


Myths and Facts about Cuban Immigration

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2003/537/537p16.htm

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/1994/157/157p9.htm

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html

http://www.nlg.org/cuba/cubaquiz.htm

http://www.canadiandimension.mb.ca/extra/d0505es.htm

The Health Care System in Cuba

http://www.cubasolidarity.net/inhealth.html

http://www.cubasolidarity.net/news99.html

http://wais.stanford.edu/Cuba/cuba_meds ... 82201.html

http://chehasta.narod.ru/on.htm

http://www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/Doc ... alth.shtml


The Treatment of Patients with HIV/AIDS in Cuba

http://www.cubaaidsproject.com/index.php

http://www.aegis.com/news/afp/2001/AF0103A7.html

http://www.ratb.org.uk/frfi/137_aids.html

http://www.cubasolidarity.net/cubahol2.html

http://www.thegully.com/essays/cuba/030 ... _gays.html

http://www.cubaminrex.cu/English/Look_C ... 20AIDS.htm


Housing in Cuba

http://www.housingfinance.org/IndustryI ... osCuba.pdf

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/cubasi_a ... ticleID=15


The Position of Women in Cuba

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/cubasi_a ... ticleID=30

http://devdata.worldbank.org/genderstat ... ba&hm=home

http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm

http://www.edc.org/WomensEquity/edequity01/0442.html


Social Services and Social Indicators

http://econ.worldbank.org/files/30599_3_.pdf

http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1508/15080570.htm


The Cuban Prison System

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/wo ... _rates.php

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/wo ... _rates.php

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2000/419/419p16.htm

http://www.radiohc.cu/homeing.htm


Education in Cuba

http://www.cubasocialista.com/ed0.htm

http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WD ... i0page.pdf



Cuba Solidarity Groups

http://www.iacenter.org/

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/cubasi.asp

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/

http://www.cubasolidarity.com/

http://www.cubasolidarity.ca/

http://www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/Doc ... 2003.shtml



Speeches and Writings Of Che and Fidel Castro

http://marxists.org/history/cuba/index.htm

http://www.ils.unc.edu/~michm/Che/writings_main.html


Art, Culture, Film, History etc.

http://www.cubanow.net/home/index.htm

http://www.cubaheritage.com/default.asp


Articles Sorted by Subject on Cuba

http://www.ratb.org.uk/html/articles.html

http://cubasocialista.com/dis0.htm

http://www.dsp.org.au/dsp/Cuba_alt/part1.htm


Listen live to Cuban Radio Stations

http://www.solmusical.com/info/radios/c ... dex-01.htm

http://www.tvradioworld.com/region1/cbu ... ternet.asp

http://www.radiohc.org/english.html


Watch Cuban TV Live

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/
(click ‘video’ top right corner)


Cuban Newspapers in English

http://granmai.cubaweb.com/ingles/index.html

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/


Trade Unions in Cuba

http://www.cubaminrex.cu/English/Look_C ... 20AIDS.htm


Reflections on Contemporary Problems Facing Cuba

http://www.newworker.org/

Click on “Special Features” on the left side, and scroll down to “Special Cuba Feature”


US Sponsored Terrorism and Subversion Against Cuba

http://dominionpaper.ca/chomsky/2003/08 ... rrori.html

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/Daily ... 10501.html

http://www.freethefive.org/fraile.cfm

http://cubasocialista.com/exileterreng1.htm

[Wilhelm]

Nice. If Fox lets me put a sticky topic, I'll place it. But for us who can't spare all that time to sift through all the information, could you give us a quick explanation on the workings of Cuban democracy?

[Nautilus]

From http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/democracy.htm

The Cuban revolution began with the struggle for democracy against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. It was also a struggle for democracy in the broadest sense of winning the right of the Cuban nation to act as a sovereign power and shape its own future.

Out of the revolution there arose a number of mass popular organisations which to this day continue to wield considerable influence over Cuban society. These include the trade unions, the Federation of Cuban Women, the National Association of Small Farmers and, very importantly, the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution. All these have extraordinarily high levels of membership numbering in most cases around 95% of their potential constituency.

These popular organisations are the backbone of the Cuban people's high level of participation in decisions which affect their everyday lives. But they are also complemented by a unique electoral system of direct democracy which the government proudly boasts, with justifiable reason, makes it the most democratic state in the world.

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates. Instead the candidates are nominated by grass roots assemblies and by electoral commissions comprising representatives of all the mass organisations.
The municipal elections are the cornerstone of Cuba's political structure. They comprise delegates who have great authority amongst the local population and who are elected for reasons of known integrity, intelligence, hard work and honesty.

The elections to the provincial and national assemblies (Cuba's regional and national parliaments) follow a different procedure. For deputies to the national assembly the nominating process involves proposals from the municipal councils.

In addition to receiving nominations from different organisations and institutions, the candidacy commissions carry out an exhaustive process of consultation before drawing up a final slate. In the February 1993 elections they consulted more than 1.5 million people and established a pool of between 60 and 70 thousand potential candidates before narrowing it down to 589.

The nominating process and the huge participation in the last election clearly show that the deputies to Cuba's parliament enjoy massive public support.

I don't see any critics in this article. How about those who want a different kind of democracy, are they able to share this view?

[CheLives]

what do you mean you don't see any critics in this article? it expalins how the electoral system works.

perhaps Nautilis you should define what you are refering to when you say 'democracy'.

[Wilhelm]

He said "critics" not "ciritques". I think he was referring to "is there room for criticism in the Cuban political system?" Is there any kind of political opposition?

[Nautilus]

Why did they not mention the political prisoners on Cuba? Isn't Cuba political system restricted? Is it allowed to start a anti-marxist party on Cuba?

[Gral. Stamelin]

Well in an interview that one of the United Stater reporters made to Comrade President Fidel Castro, comrade gave specific numbers for the prisoners in Cuba, and there where like 0.2% of the oposition.
However, if you are against that, please tell me in which state in the whole world aren't anti-state complots and coupe attempts not punished?

I think it's very normal. And anyway, the USA who have allways claimed to be the defenders of democracy have had enormous quantities of political persecutees and prisoners since the foundation of the Anti-American Activity Commitee, who really should have been named: Anti-Capitalism, anti-system, or just "opposition" Activity commitee.

so, democracy?

Really most of the "Democratic countries", including mine are not really democratic. We live in a presidential parlamentarism, not in a democracy, for the concept of democracy doesn't only refer to the capacity of electing your rulers but in the actual participation in the decisions taken IN YOUR REPRESENTATION. For example: the war in Irak has proofed NOT to be the will of the mayority of United Staters, but Bush went on and took it to the ultimate consequences.
Bush himself said: If they want war, bring it on!
Well yeah, he is not going to fight, and hurt himself and perhaps die in the war. He just says: bring it on....(let my soldiers die because I want my country's aristocracy to make profit of slavery, abuses, death and destruction, so let's send poor men to fight other poor men, so that the rich can be richer.)
Is THAT a democracy?
I think not.

On the other hand, the Cuban people have direct representation in the public institutions and participate actively in the government's referemdums. For example, a proposal to many reforms to liberalize hotelery and turistic attractions was succesfully passed by the people's approval, and now Cuban economy is getting better.

THAT is MORE LIKE a democracy, but really is not complete.

The only real democracy is not only socialist, but sovietic.
In the non-sovietic or parlamentary socialist republics, democracy is not complete, but , by definition in a sovietic society, democracy is alive and working ever day.

Any doubts? Please ask.

[QatzelOk]

Gral. Stamelin wrote:

...one of the United Stater reporters...

Interesting that you would use this non-existant word for 'American' in your text.
In the last 2 years, in French media here in Quebec, you see the word 'Etats-unien' instead of 'Americain.' I assume it's the same in Spanish... estado-unidense?
Anyway, it seem to me that this is form of de-colonisation of North America, at least linguistically.
Do you agree?

[Wilhelm]

I like that term. I hate how United Staters have appropriated the word "America" for their own country.

Instead of pointing out the faults of other countries' democracies, would someone care to explain if anyone of those candidates would be allowed to propose a capitalist platform?

[Gral. Stamelin]

Well, comrade, no one has officially proposed a capitalist platform in Cuba since the revolution, but I'm sure that there isn't any law that prohibits it. I couldn't tell you the position that comrade Castro would take with that oppposition because it has not happened yet, but what I'm sure is that there is no law which prohibits that, but you know, I've been to Cuba, I don't know if you have. If not, I recommend you go, it's a beautiful country and really cheap to travel.
Well, the point is that people there really love the revolution and the regimen, although they are in disagree with some actions taken by the government to avoid people be bombed with burgeoise press.
You know comrade, that the burgeoise press, not willing to accept that the worker class embraces socialism, bombs us with all kinds of exagerations and double-stories with not real sense at all.
None of the believers have really gone to Cuba to meet the Cuban people in their dayly lives as I have. I didn't go as the rich do to great hotels and foreign night clubs, I went to a friend's friend house and stayed there.
His name is Eberto Velàzquez and he is the most recalcitrant socialist I've seen abroad.
I hope I've helped you in your quest.

And to the one who commented about the term United Stater, well, I actually invented that term because the people of the United States of Middle-North America (you can see that's the most appropiated way of calling the "U.S.") have not cared through history about us, and called themselves the only "Americans". America, my friend is the whole continent, not only that country, between decens.
I am American, North American and Mexican. Canadians are Americans and North Americans too. So I took the justified liberty of calling you "United Staters", and in my country I've been leading a campaign to call them, as you say, Estadounidenses, and no longer "Americanos", but I am really respectfull, because, you know, many people here call them "Gringos" and their country "Gringolandia" (stands for Gringoland).
I don't lack them respect, I just call them what they really are:
United-Staters of Middle-North America.
Geographically and Culturally that's correct.

Thanks

[Wilhelm]

I once went to Cuba. To a very fancy hotel. But we did get the chance to meet some of the locals. We met a family who lived in a very small house, which could be best described as a hut. They thanked us when we gave them soap and toilet paper from the hotel.

The thing with Cuba is that it is still a one-party dictatorship, and not a true democracy. One could argue that maybe true democracy is harmful for a country, but then don't say that Cuba has a democracy. They don't.

As for the "United Stater" thing, I agree. It is the perfect translation for the term that other languages use.

[Gral. Stamelin]

no, comrade you are right.
The fact is I never argued Cuba is a democracy. I just said it's more democratic than the US system.
I think we both know that democracy is a difficult thing to achieve, and I think you'll agree compañero, that neither your country or mine are truly democratic.

[Wilhelm]

Colombia has a far better demoracy than the US. Our Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges do not vote along party lines, in fact they do not have parties, they are just judges and they have proven their independence from our popular president by making unpopular but perfectly sound and legal rulings.

Our people do not let themselves be guided by fear. In Uribe's referendum, the gvoernment tried to instill fearing by saying that if it didn't pass, the country would go to hell. Still, people voted with conscience and it didn't pass.

In the city elections, many leftist mayors were chosen even though they opposed Uribe's (also very popular) "democratic security" policy, which looks a lot like your Patriot Act.

Still, people like Uribe because of some of his good measures, and he might even get the re-election project passed, and he might even win the 2006 elections.

We do not have two parties pitted against each other. We have lots of them, and people vote for who they think is a better candidate, not who they think is worse (like people voting for Kerry just to get Bush out of the White House). We have the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Uribistas (Uribe is a Liberal dissident, and his followers are known as "uribistas"), the PDI (a joint party of leftist gorups and unions), the M-19 (a disbanded guerrilla with some seats in congress), the Communist Party, etc.

This is a pluralist democracy without a one-party dictatorship like that of Cuba or a two-party dictatorship like that of the US.

We have problems because we have chosen the wrong people, but at least we have the option of choosing more people than what the United Stater system provides, which is Bush, Kerry, or Nader as a tool for Republicans to divert votes for Kerry into Nader's campaign.

[Rust]

The thing with Cuba is that it is still a one-party dictatorship, and not a true democracy. One could argue that maybe true democracy is harmful for a country, but then don't say that Cuba has a democracy. They don't.

How can you reach the conclusion that it is a dictatorship, when, if what Gral. Stamelin said is true, no other political party has decided to form? How is that Castro's, or the communist party in Cuba's, fault when they had nothing to do with it?

It also depends on what definition of "dictator" you're using...

---------------------------

Well, comrade, no one has officially proposed a capitalist platform in Cuba since the revolution, but I'm sure that there isn't any law that prohibits it.

Do you have evidence of this? You've sparked my interest, as I had been of the belief that other politcal parties where outlawed...
Though I know, you can't really provide proof of something that doesn't, but maybe an article that claimed this?

[C-Kokos]

The thing with Cuba is that it is still a one-party dictatorship, and not a true democracy. One could argue that maybe true democracy is harmful for a country, but then don't say that Cuba has a democracy. They don't.

Still, a proper definition of democracy has not been provided.

Democracy comes from the greek word, "demokratia" which in turn comes from the words "demos" (originally meaning "people") and krato (meaning, to hold) or kratos (originally meaning, strength, power, authority - in modern greek meaning "State").

So, it follows that in a country where the people (i.e. the majority) hold power, that is, further their interests, the regime is democratic.

Now, officially, the Cuban one party state claims to support the interests of the working class, which is in all countries the majority of the population (note that by the term "working class" I do not mean only industrial workers, but any working person who does not earn money through capital). It follows therefore that since the interests of the working class are pursued and furthered by the Cuban state, the Cuban state is democratic.

[revolt!]

Cuba is a single party state as you know. this means tha there are no elections or political parties etc.
but it is stupid to restrict the meaning of democracy to elections and parties. what democracy is all about is the people being heard. its original meaning from the greek language is translated: the state of the people.
in Cuba the people is being heard and 'serviced'. Cuba has one of the best health systems in the world, while everyone has access to free education. if Castro and his 'crew' where disregarding the Cuban people and acting on their own will then we would talk about dictatorship in Cuba. but Castro is one of the people and he works for the people unike others in the western 'democratic' world.

[C-Kokos]

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