Evolution of the Cuban Revolution

As the world has progressed into the twenty first century and has awakened from the
McCarthistic paranoia, this perhaps is the ripe time to open a debate long dismissed: The place
of socialism in the world and how it has survived and developed under the shadows of various
revolutions.
The collapse of the Soviet Union and the consequentially strengthening of American economic
blockade in the 90s set many experts to predict an inevitable demise of the Cuban Revolution.
The socialist regime, throughout decades, withstood all cataclysmic attempts by the proponents
of neoliberal globalization. In the wake of survival, the Cuban Revolution achieved great
development on socialist humanism that has left the Cuban watchers baffled.
James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank acknowledged that Cuba has done a great job
on education and health and it does not embarrass me to admit he further added they (Cubans)
should be congratulated on what they have done. For reasons unknown, Cuba has been ignored
by both development theorists and the technocrats assigned for implementing and administering
programs that are supposedly designed to lead to the well being of the people of the world.
The notion of the contemporary human development can be traced back to the French
Revolution. The collective will and desires of the people shaped the core values of the idea of
revolution. These core values were those of freedom, equality and solidarity. It was these values
which shaped many ideologues and propelled many movements against the oppressive oligarchy.
Development in this context, understood as progressive change can be conceptualized in two
ways:
(i). As the result of the workings of the system and its social and institutional structure.
(ii). The result of consciously directed organized efforts to bring about improvements in the
social condition and corresponding changes to bring about these reforms.
Comparatively, in Russia, the state instituted a process of socialist development of the force of
production on the basis of a model (Industrialization, modernization and proletarianization) with
a substantial control of the State. The forced social development destroyed the willingness of
people and active role in the matters concern. In Cuba, the whole process of socialist
development is so different that it can be argued that in fact it is based on a comparatively
different model. There is no forced socialization and collectivization. The population actively
participates in decision making and policy making.

The Cuban Revolution has a conscious built up defined by ethics consistent with human nature.

The argument goes on ethical and moral grounds stating that the revolution has socialistic ethics
forged under culture, a concern for universal human rights and social welfare that is concerned
more with equality than anything.
In the early 1940s, Bretton Woods established a world order to influence international relations
as the bankrupt British empire could not control its colonies where oppressive oligarchy has left
millions poor and needy. All ingredients for the acceptance of Communism were present in the
newly freed countries. In order to stop formation of new socialist states, the idea of development
was forwarded to help the economical backward countries.
In the 1960s a project was again initiated by Washington Development with international
cooperation it was specifically channeled to quieten down the people who were to initiate
revolution in Latin America. The Central Intelligence Agency toppled democratic government in
Guatemala, leading to mass massacres, destructions of hundreds of thousands of lives just
because they elected a prime minister who had socialist inclinations. The assassination of Che
Guera, Bay of Pigs and countless ruthless measures were taken to quiten the cries of Cubans.
Both of these initiations failed in one way or other leading states into fiscal crises. The
underlying agenda was clear and that was definitely not to help develop countries but a
conservative counter revolution approach. During the late 1980s it was an established reality
that the new world order was economically dysfunctional and politically unsustainable.
It was these defunct capitalist schemes which were primarily targeted by Cuban revolution. The
initial objectives were to have a society free from capitalist influenced system of material
consumption that alienates people from each other, thus increasing self centered tendencies
among the masses, installation of social solidarity which is a basic ethic and according to Che
Guevara the formation of a new man and woman. It can be argued that it was the teaching of
Marx and Guevara which emphasized veritable cultural revolution connecting every individual
with a giant social body motivated by the love for humanity.
As Marx observed, a need for revolutionary practice that in return would change the
circumstances of people and themselves. In his work, Marx stresses that guerilla attacks or action
by few is highly insufficient. Therefore, all citizens with their collective will must work for the
cause of revolution which will not only change them, but also improve the system they live in.
Che Guevara was perplexed by the notion that the revolutionary consciousness and the new
society required a new man and woman, while contrarily the creation of this new man and
woman required a new society. But this new man and woman freed from concerns for self
interest and committed to the people can lead to the human development and revolutionary
change required for the realization of a cultural revolution.

With respect to Cuba, the forces of change that propels its revolution include education, liberated
labor and most importantly participation of public in the struggle for revolutionary change.
Apparently, Cuba might seem an authoritarian socialist state where orders come from the head
top, but in reality it is the people, the common man who is responsible in making policies
concerning people.
With skepticism and a dose of fairness, we should analyze all evidences of theory and practice
before we dismiss any government out of paranoia. In case of Cuban Revolution, the evidences
for its support are worth considering. The evolution of the Cuban Revolution, no doubt, has been
extra-ordinary and productive. It demands a thorough re-evaluation of its actual conditions and
deserves international attention.
It is worth noting that a remarkable amount of data which highlights the insight mechanism of
revolution from the perspective of Cubans has been ignored. It is equally important to understand
the conditions of the people and to shed light on the spectacular feats the revolution has
performed.