Friday, September 28, 2007

Pedro Campos interview

Pedro Campos, author of the 15 proposals discussed here, gives an interview to the BBC (Spanish, text here) where he discusses the current debate and his “absolute conviction” that the top government and party leadership are following it in detail. The core issue, he says, is to address the results of the reforms of the 1990’s – some capitalist in nature, some socialist – that created “large social differences” and uneven benefits among the Cuban workforce, “in spite of the state’s redistribution efforts.” He would like to see his and other proposals debated in all national media and submitted to a referendum within three months.

2 comments:

Mambi_Watch said...

This is very strong indication of things to come.

leftside said...

As Campos makes clear, it was the protocapitalist reforms of the early 90s (that Alex from the Palmetto apparently forgot) that led to the increasing inequalities...

Campos also makes clear his proposals are aimed at strengthening Cuban socialism, not intorducing privitizations or other neo-liberal type reforms.

I have some quibbles with the 15 proposals, but the fact that Government offices apparently are receiving these proposals well is interesting. His calculations regarding what would be the effect of scrapping the ration book and merging currencies show just how dangerous these proposals could be. There is not a lot of room for error.