tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5851163370258594999.post734336472813140188..comments2023-11-16T03:57:05.158-05:00Comments on The Cuban Triangle: The threat of Carlos SaladrigasPhil Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06724525896667349935noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5851163370258594999.post-8458226128712184692012-05-27T17:54:17.748-04:002012-05-27T17:54:17.748-04:00Lo siento, Claro, pero si está cantando claramente...Lo siento, Claro, pero si está cantando claramente, no va. Government control of the Cuban economy has never worked in the past and will not ever work in the future. It ensures that the vast potential of human capital resident on the island will never work to its potential. It ensures price controls, which chokes the aspects of a free marketplace to which they are applied. <b>The Cuban people are starving</b>. The first place to apply price controls will be in the food markets, and Cuban food production MUST START IMMEDIATELY if not sooner. So initial prices are high. They cannot stay that way forever as more producers (y tal more supply) appears in the marketplace. Yes, the Cuban government must have its own currency and fiscal and monetary policy to go with it. But Cuba has also been ravaged by over 50 years of thievery disguised as "fiscal policy". If we can find a foreign currency (no, I do not suggest the USD, as its collapse is pending) for the people to use while non-fiat stocks of valuables are stored with which to back the new Cuban currency, then I would suggest that this policy be undertaken. Go slow. The Cuban people are not used to such freedoms. No, they are not stupid -- just starved and terrorized. Otherwise, I am in complete agreement with you. Would YOU trust a Cuban government the week after the Castros die or leave?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5851163370258594999.post-78310870778780055042012-04-07T17:10:02.019-04:002012-04-07T17:10:02.019-04:00The basic obstacle to this situation lies in the s...The basic obstacle to this situation lies in the senior circles of the Cuban government who are worried that the necessary reforms could lead to their overthrowal and to the end of their privileges.<br /><br />The basic outline of the country's non violent solution to its economic and political crisis is evident to all analysts without vested interests,<br /><br />1- Amnesty for all pasts political crimes to all but the most recalcitrant of the exile community.<br />2- A path for amnesty for those initially excluded in return for their acceptance of their past behavior and repentance for it and the promise to not continue to engage in them and to participate in democratic reforms.<br />3- Elimination of political crimes from the criminal code.<br />4- Immigration and emmigration reform. Allowing all Cubans living abroad and in the island to enter it, and leave it at will.<br />5- Making the Cuban peso convertible.<br />6- Allowing free enterprise and market relations to take place in the island without unnecessary government restrictions and excessive taxation.<br />7- Allowing government control of the economy to occur at the macroeconomic level through fiscal, monetary and exchange controls.<br /><br />All this could be reached without sacrificing the social aspects of government expenditure in education, health, social security and in law enforcement and public administration.<br /><br />The basic problem is that the group interests of the ruling elite are being placed before those of the Cuban nation as a whole.<br /><br />National reconciliation and the creation of an efficient nation state capable of competing in a global economy should be prioritized.<br /><br />While this is not accomplished Cuba will continue to suffer an uninterrupted crisis.<br /><br /> CANTACLAROAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5851163370258594999.post-19824515842507600332012-04-07T16:47:21.593-04:002012-04-07T16:47:21.593-04:00The basic fact is that the ruling Cuban elite is c...The basic fact is that the ruling Cuban elite is caught in the horns of a dilemma.<br /><br />On one hand it needs the return to Cuba of the Cuban American businessmen to established a successful mixed economy, provide productive employment and to be able to develop the country successfully in the middle of a competitive global economy.<br /><br />On the other hand the nomenklatura fears their return, because they are afraid that after seizing economic power in the island the returning bourgeoisie will attempt to take away its political power.<br /><br />So therefore it tries to adopt halfway measures, opening the door a crack, so that the bourgoisie can return to the island as a junior partner under its strict control so that it can contribute to economic advancement but without becoming a threat to its rule. <br /><br />The problem is under those conditions the external Cuban bourgoisie would not find it stimulating to return to the island in large enough volume to make a significant difference as to its economic performance.<br /><br />Some sort of a power sharing formula must be found to make a successful return of the external Cuban bourgeousie to the island under non violent conditions.<br /><br />The internal elite must be willing to in some way share political power with the external elite in exchange for a share of economic power, for an opportunity to transition from being a nomenklatura to a neobourgeousie.<br /><br />Once that succesful formula is found the Gordian Knot of Cuban politics will be cut, the external Cuban elite will return to its homeland, the right wing extremists in the US will be isolated and weakened and the US government would agree to a gradual negotiated lifting of the embargo.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com