More on the economic debate

Reuters reports on the “national debate on economic reform opened by acting President Raul Castro.” In Cuba last month, it was clear to me that this debate began months ago in Cuban institutions such as the party and state enterprises, and was moving to the grass-roots organizations such as local party committees, unions, and workplaces. This Reuters report is among the first to provide details.

In Diario las Americas, an opinion column questions whether the messages about reform coming from Raul Castro and other figures is a “well orchestrated campaign of confusion” designed to buy time and “strengthen” the system “for what may come.”

Well, it could be that. Or it could just be the system itself, in its own way which is not too clear to us, figuring out how to meet the challenges it has set for itself of improving output, productivity, and living standards – and moving deliberately as it chooses its policy moves and figures out how to make them work politically.