Cuba is 'no country for old men,'

[El Presidente]

Very good article. 

 

https://diariodecuba.com/cuba/1611072298_28146.html

 

Cuba is 'no country for old men,' and Castroism has rendered them a burden

While in other countries they continue to generate wealth, on the island retirees have no choice but to depend on others.

RAFAELA CRUZ

La Habana 19 Ene 2021 - 17:04 CET

(man named Ken)

[Chibearsv]

Your caption made me spit out my Fresca!  Didn't see it coming

[helix]

Very sad inevitability of the socialists system . 

[Fuzz]

24 minutes ago, helix said:

Very sad inevitability of the socialists system . 

Inevitability of a failed socialist system. Though, any system is imperfect and has inherent flaws.

Under a socialist system, the elderly would not be left behind. Many countries employ democratic socialism to differing degrees.

[PuroDan]

"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."

 

[BoliDan]

old people's health cost money.
Communist party member's can't steal enough money if they need to support this unproductive demographic. What is even more sad is Cuba is big on respecting elders. So, letting them die on the streets is an extra slap in the face. I don't think we will ever see Cubans rise up.

[Nino]

10 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Inevitability of a failed socialist system.

 

Correct - but as I never get tired to tell my friends : Cuba is neither socialist nor communist as it claims to be, just a corrupt cleptocracy run by the military.

Not even in the article is "socialism" mentioned but Fidel Castro and the country's "Castrismo" :

For six decades attempts have been made to administrate the Cuban economy and the country’s society by means of centralized, rational planning, this being a "more adequate" structure according to the allegedly enlightened - and always self-interested - analysis of the country’s planning authority, be it Fidel Castro, the Communist Party of Cuba, or the shadowy political-military elite.

In Cuba all those heading into retirement have only worked under Castroism’s stifling economic conditions, characterized by a state monopoly on production and property, so they never had the capacity to save, or the opportunity to invest, or to create or own companies. To top it all off, any properties they own are often dilapidated.

[Fugu]

11 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Under a socialist system, the elderly would should not be left behind.

should - corrected for you, Fuzz.

(out of curiosity, where do you see or which state would you define as implementing a form of "democratic socialism"?)

The reality looks quite different. And that holding in particular for socialist systems, which are defining themselves and their people's value through "work". Once your value as a unit of labour vanishes and you start to only cost you're just seen as a burden. There's a reason why in the former German "Democratic Republic" you were allowed to finally leave the country (to the west) once you reached retirement.... a purely materialistic, not a friendly, humane move.

What we see in Cuba is archetypal rather than the exception.

1 hour ago, nino said:

Correct - but as I never get tired to tell my friends : Cuba is neither socialist nor communist as it claims to be, just a corrupt cleptocracy

Basically I agree, Nino, but this isn't Cuba-specific by far. This is the fate of all non-democratic, socialist, transitioning to communist, regimes forms of government. 'Dictatorship of the proletariat' still is dictatorship. And historically, always has there been a strong tendency to shift it towards a personal, at least autocratic dictatorhip. Just take a quick look around...

[Nino]

1 hour ago, Fugu said:

Basically I agree, Nino, but this isn't Cuba-specific by far. This is the fate of all non-democratic, socialist, transitioning to communist, regimes forms of government. 'Dictatorship of the proletariat' still is dictatorship. And historically, always has there been a strong tendency to shift it towards a personal, at least autocratic dictatorhip. Just take a quick look around...

Agreed Fugu but I cannot fathom how after 62 years of "revolution" a regime that is a dictatorship is still transiting to anything remotely resembling socialism or anything halfway decent. It is a corrupt cleptocracy ...

And agreed about the former GDR ( whose reconstruction I support with my taxes ? ) - they needed a wall to keep those workers inside ( after using soviet tanks in 1956 to beat a workers revolt down ).

Guess my idea of a social-democratic country -  NOT socialist  - would be the nordic countries and even Germany which has now 18 years of conservative gvmt.

[Tstew75]

Does any non-cigar, non-depressing news come out of Cuba? 

I mean wow. The more you know the more you grieve for them.

[Fugu]

1 hour ago, nino said:

Agreed Fugu but I cannot fathom how after 62 years of "revolution" a regime that is a dictatorship is still transiting to anything remotely resembling socialism or anything halfway decent. It is a corrupt cleptocracy ...

True. But was rather meant along the lines of theory of state, more the general concept than specifically being addressed at Cuba. I should have better phrased it „with the ‘ideal’ of transitioning...“. By which I meant to allude to the intermediary character of socialism on the way striving for “true” communism, following Marx & Engels.....

1 hour ago, nino said:

1956

1953 

1 hour ago, nino said:

Guess my idea of a social-democratic country -  NOT socialist  - would be

Yup, there’s not few having a hard time seeing the fundamental difference....

[Nino]

19 minutes ago, Tstew75 said:

Does any non-cigar, non-depressing news come out of Cuba? 

I mean wow. The more you know the more you grieve for them.

Not today but maybe mañana ... ?

Reminds me somehow of the Japanese courtesy style to always say yes so as to not disappoint the asking person :
Do you have bananas ?
Hai dozo, yes, we have no bananas !

I always tell my friends : Cuba is not to be understood - it is to be enjoyed.

Hard to do when you a) speak the language or b) care for the people.

6 minutes ago, Fugu said:

True. But was rather meant along the lines of theory of state, more the general concept than specifically being addressed at Cuba. I should have better phrased it „with the ‘ideal’ of transitioning...“. By which I meant to allude to the intermediary character of socialism on the way striving for “true” communism, following Marx & Engels.....

1953 

Yup, there’s not few having a hard time seeing the fundamental difference....

Sorry for the off topic - I have rather followed the Beatles, Stones and Dire Straits last 60 years, never fancied Marx & Engels but the Eagles were fine :-)

Right you are - June 1953 - I was only 4 months old then, my apologies ?

Yup, one important difference that many are not able to see.

[Nino]

3 hours ago, Tstew75 said:

Does any non-cigar, non-depressing news come out of Cuba?

OK, just for you - we have good news indeed :

Cuban TV news host breaking the news :

As of today Jan. 21st 2021 the guy responsible for our political, economic and social problems will be Joe Biden.

Comrade Donald Trump has been delegated to other functions.

 

 

 

[Fugu]

2 hours ago, nino said:

Sorry for the off topic - I have rather followed the Beatles, Stones and Dire Straits last 60 years, never fancied Marx & Engels but the Eagles were fine :-)

Haha, ditto! ?