2008-07-12.
Moisés Leonardo Rodríguez Valdéz, Corriente Martiana
The biggest loss suffered, and to be suffered, by the Cuban population
after almost fifty years of Fidel Castro's government and of the current
group headed by his brother, is the extreme reduction in social capital.
Social capital is defined by modern science as the combination of values
shared by a particular human group, and it is measured by indexes such
as patriotism, compliance with moral norms, free responsible
participation of citizens in public affairs, the capacity of the
individuals to associate, tolerance and trust, among others.
The absolute social control, in addition to the centralization of the
decision power in the persona of the leader, excluding anyone else, has
eliminated individual initiative and has replaced it by complete
dependency from individuals who may be qualified as neo-slaves or non-
citizens.
Everything needed by individuals in order to live in society, such as
food, housing, clothing, education, employment, disclosure of
information, moral and ethical behavior, institutions, laws, has been
determined in quality and quantity by the omnipresent government.
We are describing an organized state which exists under the direction of
the "Comandante en Jefe" recently replaced by his brother, acting as
head of a group executing an old vision and directives to remain in
power at any cost.
In reality, such situation has taken away all freedom from the citizens.
The high cultural level of all the Cubans, in comparison with other
underdeveloped countries, together with the subsidies received at
different times, has failed to offer the results that could potentially
have been obtained.
These two elements combined, human and physical capital, cannot fully
develop their production potential in an environment with enough social
capital, just as a chain reaction cannot start until the Uranium Limit,
also known as "critical mass", in nuclear reactors, is exceeded
This explains the unfeasibility of socialist regimes, which according to
Marti block the "natural and industrious gestation" and act not
according to human nature, but against it.
Marxism explained the succession of socio economic regimens starting
from the dynamic balance between the production relationships and the
level of the productive forces at each historic moment, and this
contradiction was accompanied by the struggle between the exploited and
exploiting classes, struggle that was considered as the engine of
development.
Marxism emphasized and qualified as a non essential phenomenon, that
each socioeconomic system would be established by opening new freedom
spaces to producers, from the core of the regimes after their
establishment.
The class struggle, more than power itself, seeks more freedom for the
production factors (capital and work) in order to obtain a larger
portion in the distribution of wealth in the new system replacing the
old one.
Historically, slaves were granted land to obtain their freedom to
produce as well as the freedom to use and enjoy and dispose (which are
attributes of the property right) of many things, included their family,
that slaves could have never envisioned. Not only the exploiters
received benefits from this social progress.
The insufficient offer of handcrafted articles increasingly needed and
the growing complexity in the markets, contributed to the creation of
associations and the development of new technologies that lead to the
creation of industries and its manual workers.
Workers' demands for improved working conditions and more remuneration,
interpreted by Marxism as the revolutionary ascent of the working class
that would eventually hold the reigns of society, have only resulted in
increased power for the representatives of the State, from the
negotiations between workers and employees and therefore with more
socialization of the production of capitalist countries.
Another characteristic of the countries classified as capitalist is the
growing socialization of the property with the shares systems and other
forms of participation of the workers in the productive process.
While this takes place in countries with systems that according to
Marxism should disappear sentenced by history, we have witnessed the
failure in the countries where the regime intended as replacement was
implemented.
This failure of socialism has been determined by the excessive
centralization of the property which has been interpreted and executed
wrongly as nationalization with its consequences: the absolute lack of
capacity to generate wealth with "equality".
Faced with these facts we may ask: how can a political system be
expected to be better in the historical march when it prevents the
growth of freedom, especially economic freedom, and when it concentrates
the property and decision power in a reduced group of men that hold all
the power?
The nationalization, concentration of power of decision and the
cancellation of individual freedom for producers, is the negation of
the logic of the historical development and it is where failure of
socialism lies, understood or reduced as in Cuba, to an excessive
economic centralization and other aspects of the organization of society.
The prevailing behavioral tendencies of the Cuban population are the
result of the causes analyzed above. All of their actions, inside and
outside of the law, are motivated and have one goal: A BETTER LIFE, or
at least less bad, using their knowledge, effort and personal initiative
(according to Adam Smith, "the invisible hand")
This natural tendency faces the barrier of the absence of freedom. The
State, which should be the guarantor of individual freedom, important
for the fulfillment of individuals, collectivizes them and turns all who
should be free citizens, into a passive link executing directives from
"above" (neo-slaves).
Cubans are in the same position as slaves, worse than serfs, who were at
least controlled by someone chosen by someone extra terrestrial,
undefined, but who did not take all of the wealth produced by them, as
it is taken today by those from "above".
The different forms to obtain the improvement of the living conditions
of the individuals are not inserted in any social project. In every case
all cases seek the personal wellbeing and at most, of the family.
The lack of connection between projects and individual actions, and
among individuals and the state, create additional waste of capital due
to lack of trust, by acting aside from any ethic and morals, the
reinforcement of the prohibitions of the right to associate based on
common interests ("save yourself of you can"), among other extreme
situations.
It would be difficult to revert this situation, as shown by successful
democratic transitions and as it will take place in Cuba by urgent
demand, which requires diverse actions that must include the
institutional and legal changes in accordance with the international
regulations applicable to human rights.
Additionally, it shall be necessary to create or establish mechanisms to
allow or encourage individuals to promote the growth of social capital
in their diverse participation groups and at all levels in social
relationships.
Such mechanisms shall be protected under the legal and institutional
system and must allow and promote the development of independent
initiatives from the citizens, either individually or as a group, in
search of the general good and which at the same time allow the
harmoniums satisfaction of the individual interests.
This combination is the only one that may reduce the multiple dissent
currently faced in Cuba. No only from the acknowledged dissidents, but
also from those who risk their lives jumping into the ocean in
precarious rafts, or making love with foreigners in the hope of being
allowed to travel to places where they can enjoy their freedom and help
their family left at the island.
This should also reduce the dissent from those that "deviate the
resources" (a synonym for stealing) from the state-run work centers,
breaking moral, ethical and legal regulations to "resolve", which is a
synonym of obtaining legally something useful to satisfy a personal or
familiar need or aspiration.
There are also many dissidents who pretend to be "unconditional" in
order to occupy positions with higher remuneration, or special benefits,
who would abandon this immoral practice that affects the social capital
and occupy the place wanted according to their knowledge and skills in
favorable conditions for the development of higher levels of trust.
In conclusion, the specific necessary changes in the economic, political
and social areas have to open spaces to individual freedom. These
freedom spaces must be supported and guaranteed by the changes to
institutions and laws and by the demands of the international
regulations about human rights that promote the growth of social capital.
Only developing mechanisms that follow these criteria may offer Cubans
the possibility to overcome the current crisis, which has lasted more
than 20 years, allowing them at the same time to satisfy the common
dream of all Cubans, beyond their diversity of beliefs and alignment: TO
HAVE A BETTER LIFE.
Traducción del español: Cuban Study Group.
http://www.miscelaneasdecuba.net/web/article.asp?artID=16175
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