Gregory Morrow wrote:
>
> Anders wrote:
>
> > Gregory Morrow wrote:
> > >
> > > Anders wrote:
> > >
> > > > Gregory Morrow wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Anders wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > mrtravel wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > James Anatidae wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I suspose it's not the "DIRECT" result of US sanctions that
> has
> > > most
> > > > > Cubans
> > > > > > > > drving clunky 1950's era American cars?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > What prevented Cubans from buying non American cars?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The unlawful us embargo!
> > > > >
> > > > > Huh? There are a number of newer US - make cars in Cuba. I've seen
> > > Cuban
> > > > > rental car sites that advertise new Chrysler Caravans (which I
> suppose
> > > > > technically are German), etc. for rent. They are simply imported
> > > through
> > > > > Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Panama, or other places where US
> companies
> > > > > operate...same thing with Coca - Cola, Pringles potato chips or
> > > thousands of
> > > > > other US - derived products that are available in Cuba.
> > > > >
> > > > > Cubana airlines even flies A320's that have US (N-xxxx) registration
> > > > > numbers....
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Best
> > > > > Greg
> > > >
> > > > Yes but the economy Greg - the economy!
> > > >
> > > > It suffers from international economical terrorism.
> > >
> > > No, it suffers from a scl. and outdated central command Communist -
> > > style economic system.
> > >
> > > If Cuba took a cue from China to "blossom" their economy with some good
> > > old - fashioned capitalist business practices, it could be one of the
> better
> > > places to live....
> >
> > Sounds easy, but more difficult in practice. Put under a heavy and
> > strong yoke of economical terrorism it simply can not be done, in
> > practice.
> >
> > China on the other hand is equally 'cantrally' controlled, but do not
> > ned to struggle agains strong destructive forces, on the contrary.
> >
>
> For many years they did. They were something of a pariah, at least in the
> developed capitalist world.
>
> > That is the reason, imagine a country under heavy economical terrorism
> > for MORE THAN 50 YEARS? Tough shit! I doubt that ANY economy in the
> > world could manage that.
>
> Cuba is completely free to trade with any nation in the world. The US is
> the only country that observes an economic embargo against Cuba, and even
> that is full of holes. Witness the scores of millions of dollars of US
> foodstuffs that Cuba has bought *legally* as of late....
>
> Pre - Castro the economic relations between Cuba and the USA could be termed
> as "incestuous". But it's been 44 years now and it's time Castro stopped
> blaming the US for all his economic woes. The Cubans are a highly -
> educated and potentially productive lot. If Castro loosened some of the
> economic controls over his people, Cuba could probably blossom (even with a
> US embargo in place).
>
> Frex, just let Cubans grow and sell their own food freely, without overt and
> onerous state control. This is what started China moving in the right
> direction several decades ago. There is no reason for any kind of food
> shortage in Cuba -- it's a fertile land. It's not like it's Murmansk or
> Novosibirsk or some g-d - forsaken place.
>
> Unfortunately, Castro is still lpracticing a 1958 Chinese "Great Leap
> Forward" - style economic system. It didn't work in 1958, and it won't work
> now. You can't keep exhorting your worker bees to work if there is no honey
> at the end of the tunnel.....
>
> What Cuba has now is a two - tiered economy: one for those that hold Yankee
> dollars, and one for everybody else. It's just as unfair a system as the
> pre - 1959 economy was, or even more so, because if you don't have Yankee
> greenbacks, you don't have much of a hope for a piece of *anything* from the
> Cuban economic pie...not a piece of soap, not a piece of sausage, not a bag
> of flour, *nothing* (except what is distributed via a Dickensian rationing
> system).
>
> --
> Best
> Greg
I would not underestimate the negative impact of the embargo and the
loopholes are pretty small. For example, a US court ruled that an
airplane belonging to Cuba would be confiscated - against all
international laws (it was used by highjackers). I am sure the impact is
severe and the major reason for the bad situation but of course a
controlled enterprise would also have a positive effect. The best way to
improve it though would be to lift the embargo and start a constructive
cooperation - not terrorism.
/Anders
--
Remove the obvious part before replying by mail please! |