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Cuba’s Next Transformation
NYT via Twitter ^ | Jan. 5, 2019 | Jon Lee Anderson

Posted on 01/07/2019 12:43:19 PM PST by Brilliant

****** How that struggle is resolved will determine the nation’s future... It is increasingly clear that Cuban society is no longer — if it ever was — a homogeneous bloc of revolutionary workers willing to simply applaud or fall silent at the decisions of their leaders.

In a possible sign of change, Cubans will vote next month on a new Constitution to replace the country’s Cold War-era charter. Several hundred changes were made to the draft to incorporate the views of Cubans who were consulted on proposed reforms...

There was also public pushback against a draft law prohibiting the accumulation of private property. In response, the government agreed to a compromise in which state regulators will decide what property can be owned case by case. Another recent decree that has generated resistance seeks to impose a system of prior official approval for cultural performances and of censorship of art determined to have “immoral or vulgar” content or which “misuses patriotic symbols.” The government has agreed to step back aspects of the law.

This wrangling underscores the evolving struggle over the nature of the Cuban state. Some of the concerns raised about the draft Constitution clearly reflect the will of older Cubans, many of whom are socially conservative, have spent most of their lives living under Communism and constitute a growing percentage of the population. Other concerns point to the emerging self-confidence and clout of younger Cubans, increasing numbers of whom are involved in the country’s new economy, known as cuentapropismo — or self-employed work, which was authorized and significantly expanded during Raúl Castro’s presidency...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Cuba; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: castro; cuba; socialism
Kind of a puff piece for socialism, but it does illustrate something I've been saying for a few years now. Once the camel gets its nose under the tent, the whole tent will come down. The Cuban communists won't be able to control the political process once private enterprise takes root. People have their private businesses, and when the government tries to crack down on it, there is a backlash. A few years ago, there were very few private businesses, so if the government cracked down, it did not mean much. Now if the government cracks down, there are a lot of people who complain. I think they've already gone past the point of no return. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
1 posted on 01/07/2019 12:43:19 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant

Let’s hope change will indeed take place, slowly, but surely.


2 posted on 01/07/2019 12:49:57 PM PST by Innovative
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To: Brilliant
a compromise in which state regulators will decide what property can be owned case by case...

Hardly a compromise. If 'property' means anything , it means the true owner of a property is the one who gets to decide what to do with it.

3 posted on 01/07/2019 12:51:50 PM PST by Nateman (If the left is not screaming, you are doing it wrong)
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To: Brilliant

From my perspective, it will take a generation or more for Cuba reforms. Not a lot of investment dollars flowing into the Island.

However, I look at Key West and see investors are buying up hotels and properties. People like the tropics but like short trips and prefer law and order - Key West is growing fast.


4 posted on 01/07/2019 12:56:15 PM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: 1Old Pro

This is one place we should have invaded after the USSR died???


5 posted on 01/07/2019 1:09:58 PM PST by Hojczyk
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To: 1Old Pro

***I look at Key West and see investors are buying up hotels and properties.***

But, Wait! That is supposed to be underwater in a few years! Al Gore said so!

Maybe again those buying the property know something we don’t.


6 posted on 01/07/2019 1:11:00 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Nateman

Like I said, it’s the camel’s nose under the tent. The question is whether they’ve already become addicted to capitalism.


7 posted on 01/07/2019 1:31:44 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

Investors bought carbon credits, perhaps?


8 posted on 01/07/2019 1:33:03 PM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Brilliant
p28

Danang looks a lot nicer than Havana these days.

9 posted on 01/07/2019 1:36:38 PM PST by Snickering Hound
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To: Snickering Hound

Never been to Danang, but this looks more like a mash-up of San Francisco.

The bridge in the foreground reminds me of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, and the one in the background looks like the Golden Gate Bridge, although it painted aqua instead of “International Orange”. Especially with the hills behind it. Also, the tower on the far left looks oddly like the new SalesForce tower in downtown EssEff.


10 posted on 01/07/2019 1:54:42 PM PST by ssaftler (Faux-cahantas/Beto '20. Fake people with fake backgrounds.)
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To: Brilliant
Here's a SHOT (no pun intended) of the last one!


11 posted on 01/07/2019 2:14:20 PM PST by Dick Bachert (Why are damn near ALL the SEX FIENDS Democrats?)
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To: ssaftler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6nBzgDsRUo

Danang gets lots of tourism these days.


12 posted on 01/07/2019 2:21:40 PM PST by Snickering Hound
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To: Brilliant
I visited Cuba a few months ago. I visited the property my family owned (still owns by right) pre-Castro and wanted to scream.

The place is utterly destroyed... gutted by Marxist fools and thugs. Anyone with brains or ability is dead or has emigrated elsewhere.

It will be a long time - if ever -before it is even a sad shadow of its former self.

13 posted on 01/07/2019 2:43:15 PM PST by AAABEST (NY/DC/LA media/political industrial complex DELENDA EST)
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To: AAABEST

Do you have any paperwork? Perhaps you can get it back someday. The tenants don’t own it and there will be no place for them to move to except perhaps Miami.


14 posted on 01/07/2019 2:58:06 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: AAABEST

It’s all a matter of governmental reform. After that happens the recovery will be shocking.


15 posted on 01/07/2019 3:23:49 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant
The Cuban communists won't be able to control the political process once private enterprise takes root.

That's a true statement but the Cuban Communist party will never allow that to happen........This is all a charade for the U.S. MSM to propagandize...........

16 posted on 01/07/2019 3:27:11 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Hot Tabasco

It’s happening I think. Bit by bit. The article states that 17% of the economy is in private hands. That’s compared to 0% a few years ago. Ours is something like 60% if I’m not mistaken. Their is going to be a lot of blood if the government tries to walk things back to 0%.


17 posted on 01/07/2019 3:35:28 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant
Like I said, it’s the camel’s nose under the tent. The question is whether they’ve already become addicted to capitalism.

No they haven't and the camel was shot and dumped into the ocean.........

Nothing has changed in Cuba since Obama opened the doors to the country which Americans have been taking advantage of via Canada for the past 50 years..............

That's evidenced by Tim McGraw's upcoming May concert in Havana which is only available to non citizens of Cuba.......

18 posted on 01/07/2019 4:51:50 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Brilliant
This is a New York Times article and nothing could be further from the truth.

The author, Jon Lee Anderson, is a Cuban propagandist who authored a book on Che Guevera and considers himself an expert on not only Cuba but Venezuela.........

19 posted on 01/07/2019 5:09:24 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: DIRTYSECRET; Brilliant
Do you have any paperwork? Perhaps you can get it back someday. The tenants don’t own it and there will be no place for them to move to except perhaps Miami.

I don't have any official paperwork, but they most certainly do. The Cuban bureaucracy is not capable or willing to produce it, so I wouldn't even bother as it stands now.

If it were given to me I'm not sure I would even want it. The structure has amazing architectural "bones" so to speak, but the roof has been gone for decades and the interior is nearly completely destroyed.

Even if they allowed investment and I was able to renovate it (which would be a HUGE and expensive challenge), what once was a beautiful thriving neighborhood is now a slum... so there's that.

20 posted on 01/08/2019 8:21:58 AM PST by AAABEST (NY/DC/LA media/political industrial complex DELENDA EST)
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