Cuba: A Revolution in Motion

Book Description

This overview of modern Cuban history focuses on the country's post-Soviet economic collapse, the measures that President Castro's government took in response, and their ensuing results and impact. It neither paints Cuba as a perfect society nor universal model for Third World development. But it does show that Cuba demonstrates that even relatively small countries can pursue a path of economic and social development while avoiding the problems endemic in the rest of Latin America. The author argues that the country's political stability is not merely the result of authoritarianism, but that the Cuban political system incorporates important elements of democracy that encourage participation and help generate public support. Cuba today continues to have huge problems, but the wider significance of the Cuban Revolution rests on its practical demonstration that it is possible to pursue radical and humane development policies which are at complete variance with the increasingly criticized nostrums of neoliberal economics being foisted on the rest of the world.

Customer Reviews:

INSIGHTS INTO A DIFFERENT WORKING PARADIGM.......2007-09-24

In this literary composition, brief yet comprehensive, Isaac Saney is making the case that:

"The Cuban experience offers significant insights into not only a different paradigm, but a paradigm that has largely been successful--especially given the objective limitations of a small, poor, underdeveloped island nation--in utilizing the country's resources and wealth for the public good."

Saney's work shows a deep understanding of history and the difficult, complex and contradictory process involved in the transformation of underdeveloped countries, from poverty and backwardness into more sustainable, developed and just societies.

As he stated, "For Cubans, history has not yet met its `end'. The present is not detached from what has preceded it. This is the context that frames the oft-repeated slogan, `Socialism or death'..."

Any attentive reader may point out that Saney's work appears to be too sympathetic to Cuba. Such a reader may have a valid point.

Notwithstanding, the said alert, objective reader may also concede that the main argument presented in the book is carefully researched and presented.

Although Saney resides in the high tower of academia, his writing style borders on down-to-earth journalistic. Not completely, but he has made the book comprehensible by the broadest cross-section of readers.

"Cuba A Revolution in Motion" is a good book. I recommend it highly!

Extremely Biased.......2007-01-26

Please read this book with caution. As has been stated before, the author, Isaac Saney, shares the views of Castro's regime, and says so here: http://www.sevenoaksmag.com/features/17_cuba.html

Furthermore, there are several gaps in logic. The first is Saney's insistence that Cuba improved because of Castro's Revolution in health care, literacy rates, etc. However, he does not explain why this "socialist utopia" has the highest political incarceration rate per capita (higher than Stalinist Russia) and has thousands of Cubans trying to escape to the US (with 77,000 dying on the journey.) Since I assume these people are not fleeing from good health care, Saney is obviously wrong in some part of his evaluation.

Secondly, Saney states that equality between the races increased because of the Revolution. This very interesting because Batista, the President that Castro overthrew, was black himself (which Saney never mentions). Furthermore, as of now, 80% of Cuba's prisoners are black, whereas its government hierarchy is 100% white. Obviously, this equality is non-existent, and Saney is again misinformed.

These great inconsistencies can be explained by noting that one of Saney's main sources is Fidel Castro himself. As can easily be seen, on almost every page is at least one statistic attributed to Castro. These statistics are presented as absolute truth, apparently without any thought that Castro might be lying.

Therefore, on a whole, Saney is revealed as a naive socialist who is too enamored by Castro's policies to see his monstrosities. So much for caring about "the people".

Absolute Garbage.......2005-04-19

This book is a complete joke. Saney' book entirely ignores the cold hard facts about Cuba, with its obvious pro-Castro slant (though he vehemently denies it). I have yet to see a review on ANY unbiased website that praises the book. This book is 100% socialist propaganda from a hack professor at some no-name Canadian college.

The book focuses on the "Special Period" of Cuba history, from the fall of the Soviet Union up to the present, discussing the "gains of the revolution." Anyone who has studied pre-Castro Cuba knows that Cuba actually had a world class economy, health care, and education system before the revolution. It was not the decrepit hell-hole Castro and his supporters want you to believe it was.

Still don't want to believe it? Based on statistics provided by the United Nations, in 1959 Cuba's health care system was better than France, Germany, and Japan's. Today those countries are head and shoulders above Cuba.

Saney has no idea what the real world is like. He is so enveloped in the Castro cult that he has completely denied the testimonials of people like Leonel Cordova Rodriguez (a Cuban doctor sent to Zimbabwe and then kidnapped by the Cuban government in 2001) who testified before the UN as to the poor conditions of health care in Cuba. And people like Dr. Hilda Molina, an internationally recognized neurosurgeon in Cuba, who has testified on numerous occasions as to how "medical tourism" is further destroying Cuba's already poor health care system.

all you ever wanted to know about Cuba.......2005-03-04

This is the most complete, concise and thoughtful look at Cuba available in any media form. If you can only read one book about Cuba, this is it.

One of the most remarkable stories of our time.......2004-04-26

"Cuba: A Revolution in Motion" by Isaac Saney offers a balanced, intelligent and highly accessible look at the current condition of the Cuban Revolution. Professor Saney's work shatters the mainstream caricature of Cuba as a nation that history has left behind. To the contrary, the author describes the dynamic and ongoing processes through which the Cuban people have struggled to achieve social justice. As Dr. Saney has demonstrated in this excellent book, the modern Cuban experience is without doubt one of the most remarkable stories of our time, offering insights about how humanity might secure a more peaceful, stable and liveable world.

Dr. Saney is an Associate Director at Henson College, Dalhousie University in Canada. He is a frequent visitor to Cuba and conducts scholarly work in the fields of international development, political economy and law. The author is skilled at explaining Cuban political philosophy and helps us understand how the Cuban decision making process reflects the collectivist values of its society.

The book has six chapters. The first is about the history of Cuba especially as it relates to slavery, U.S. economic dominance and Cuba's dependence on the Soviet Union. The so-called 'Special Period' that began as the result of the collapse of the U.S.S.R. is also covered in detail. Dr. Saney tells us that despite extreme economic hardship and mounting hostility from the U.S., the Revolution has been reaffirmed by the Cuban people. The author describes the many reforms that have been implemented in order to stabilize the economy and ensure that commitments to social justice remain intact for all its citizens.

The second chapter discusses governance, perhaps one of the most misunderstood aspects of modern Cuban society. Dr. Saney states that the goal of the Cuban political system is to "extend democracy to both the political and economic spheres" by enshrining these rights in its constitution. In practice, free elections, unions and mass organizations allow for Cuban democracy to act as a force that shapes society from the bottom-up.

Chapter three addresses race and inequality. Dr. Saney shows us how Cuba has transformed itself from a highly-stratified society to one of the most egalitarian in the world. The author contends that the Cuban state's eradication of the economic basis of racism offers proof that the "abolishment of the capitalist order [is] an indispensable step towards the elimination of racism".

Chapter four is on the topic of crime and justice. Chapter five is about U.S. and Cuban history with an emphasis on recent events. While the Cuban justice system as described by Dr. Saney appears to compare favorably to most others in Latin America, ongoing U.S. hostility has meant that Cuba must make special provisions in its law to protect itself. If Cuba is to be castigated for punishing mercenaries, spies and other aggressors, then it is not unreasonable for the U.S. to cease its ongoing economic embargo, subversive activities and hostile rhetoric.

The final chapter focuses on the lessons learned from the Cuban experience. Dr. Saney discusses Cuba's significant contributions to the world community in organic farming, biotechnology and health care. Other noteworthy accomplishments that the author highlights include the Cuban military's support of Angola (which was a critical factor in freeing the South African people from apartheid) and the leadership role that Cubans have played in various international human rights organizations. The author also believes that the Cuban people will be successful in protecting socialism even as it opens its economy to foreign investment.

Cuba is not a perfect society, but Dr. Saney has amply demonstrated in this book that Cuba's vitality continues to pose a challenge to the "inherent injustice and unsustainability" of capitalism. I encourage everyone to read this outstanding book to learn more about the Cuban experience and to gain insight into how we might secure a better future for all.

Banana Wars-The Price of Free Trade: A Caribbean Perspective
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Banana Wars-The Price of Free Trade: A Caribbean Perspective
Gordon Myers
Manufacturer: Zed Books
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1842774522
Release Date: 2004-10-14

Book Description

In the Caribbean Windward Islands, one in three jobs and half of export earnings depend on bananas. But from the end of 2005, the European Union will give up the last non-tariff measures designed to protect this trade. Looming over the islanders are unemployment, poverty, further emigration, and the almost inevitable switch to growing illegal drugs. Banana Wars tells how the US government, answering the grievances of a single American corporation, forced the World Trade Organization to nullify a European Community commitment to protect small Caribbean banana growers. The international trading system lacks the flexibility needed to give states like the Windward Islands the protection that they need to survive, while powerful supermarket chains insist on ever-lower prices, to the short-term benefit of consumers but the serious detriment of growers. This book calls for new EU arrangements to help the Caribbean banana industry beyond 2005 and for the WTO to give greater consideration to the needs of very small states with vulnerable economies.

Inequality in Latin America: Breaking With History? (World Bank Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Viewpoints)

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Inequality in Latin America: Breaking With History? (World Bank Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Viewpoints)
Guillermo E. Perry , Francisco H. G. Ferreira , and Michael Walton
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ASIN: 0821356658

Book Description

With the exception of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean has been one of the regions of the world with the greatest inequality.

Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean: Breaking with History? explores why the region suffers from such persistent inequality, identifies how it hampers development, and suggests ways to achieve greater equity in the distribution of wealth, incomes and opportunities. The study draws on data from 20 countries based on household surveys covering 3.6 million people, and reviews extensive economic, sociological and political science studies on inequality in Latin America.

To address the deep historical roots of inequality in Latin America, and the powerful contemporary economic, political and social mechanisms that sustain it, Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean outlines four broad areas for action by governments and civil society groups to break this destructive pattern:

Build more open political and social institutions, that allow the poor and historically subordinate groups to gain a greater share of agency, voice and power in society.
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Reform income transfer programs so that they reach the poorest families.

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With the exception of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean has been one of the regions of the world with the greatest inequality. Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean: Breaking with History? explores why the region suffers from such persistent inequality, identifies how it hampers development, and suggests ways to achieve greater equity in the distribution of wealth, incomes and opportunities. The study draws on data from 20 countries based on household surveys covering 3.6 million people, and reviews extensive economic, sociological and political science studies on inequality in Latin America. To address the deep historical roots of inequality in Latin America, and the powerful contemporary economic, political and social mechanisms that sustain it, Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean outlines four broad areas for action by governments and civil society groups to break this destructive pattern: Build more open political and social institutions, that allow the poor and historically subordinate groups to gain a greater share of agency, voice and power in society. Ensure that economic institutions and policies seek greater equity, through sound macroeconomic management and equitable, efficient crisis resolution institutions, that avoid the large regressive redistributions that occur during crises, and that allow for saving in good times to enhance access by the poor to social safety nets in bad times. Increase access by the poor to high-quality public services, especially education, health, water and electricity, as well as access to farmland and the rural services. Protect and enforce the property rights of the urban poor. Reform income transfer programs so that they reach the poorest families.

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The evolution and applications of the 'technolopolis network

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George Kozmetsky , Frederick Williams , and Victoria Williams
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
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ASIN: 156720631X

Book Description

Drawing from more than 25 years experience in research and project creation, Kozmetsky and Williams describe how accelerated commercialization strategies building on advances in science and technology offer a sustainable source of wealth. They show how collaboration among business, government, entrepreneurial, and academic partners--all focusing to leverage local resources to compete in the global marketplace--is an established and powerful strategy for 21st century business creation and economic development. This collaborative success strategy of "thinking globally and acting locally," along with supportive activities such as technology incubators, research methods, entrepreneurship training, and use of networks for resource sharing is what has come to be called the "Technopolis paradigm." Because a maturing Technopolis evolves as an integral component of a city, state, or larger sociopolitical unit, it promotes attention to sustainability and quality of life. Further, Kozmetsky and Williams consider the Technopolis paradigm as a process of constructive capitalism in that it utilizes private or corporate commercialization of science and technology to create wealth and shared prosperity, the value of which is set by competition in a free market.

Customer Reviews:

The evolution and applications of the 'technolopolis network.......2005-07-05

How has scientific research and advancements been commercialized for business and economic advancement? Any who want to create wealth from scientific achievement would do well to understand the processes involved, and the intention of New Wealth: Commercialization Of Science And Technology For Business And Economic Development by the collaborative team of George Kozmetsky, Frederick Williams & Victoria Williams is to provide the aspiring entrepreneur with a thorough, technical assessment of how technology translates to business wealth. Chapters discuss the evolution and applications of the 'technolopolis network', survey regional revitalization and catalysts for change, and apply a business framework to scientific discovery. College-level audiences will find this important.

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Back From the Future: Cuba Under Castro
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Back From the Future is the definitive analysis of Castro's Cuba from 1959 to the present. The Second Edition contains a new Preface and Epilogue by the author addressing such important changes of the last decade as the growing immigrant community of Cuban-Americans in Florida, the withering U.S. embargo on Cuba, the role of Cubans in the 2000 elections, and the inevitable transition of power now that Castro is in his seventies. No other book on Cuba offers such an in-depth and grounded historical analysis.

Sugar, Slavery, and Freedom in Nineteenth-Century Puerto Rico

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Release Date: 2005-12-09

Book Description

The contributions of the black population to the history and economic development of Puerto Rico have long been distorted and underplayed, Luis A. Figueroa contends. Focusing on the southeastern coastal region of Guayama, one of Puerto Rico's three leading centers of sugarcane agriculture, Figueroa examines the transition from slavery and slave labor to freedom and free labor after the 1873 abolition of slavery in colonial Puerto Rico. He corrects misconceptions about how ex-slaves went about building their lives and livelihoods after emancipation and debunks standing myths about race relations in Puerto Rico.

Historians have assumed that after emancipation in Puerto Rico, as in other parts of the Caribbean and the U.S. South, former slaves acquired some land of their own and became subsistence farmers. Figueroa finds that in Puerto Rico, however, this was not an option because both capital and land available for sale to the Afro-Puerto Rican population were scarce. Paying particular attention to class, gender, and race, his account of how these libertos joined the labor market profoundly revises our understanding of the emancipation process and the evolution of the working class in Puerto Rico.

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