I had the opportunity to participate in the May Day festivities in Havana, Cuba this year and jumped at the chance. Never having traveled to Cuba before I was not sure what to expect but I was also excited at the prospect of getting to meet people and learn something about this island nation that has been a thorn in the side of American imperialism for 60 years. One observation that stands out is that the idea of socialism is still very popular in Cuba. This was evident from the enthusiasm of the hundreds of thousands who were marching on the main boulevard, Paseo, toward Revolution Square.
This is not to say that some sections of the population, particularly the young, have become increasingly alienated from the ideals of the Cuban Revolution. It would be strange if it were otherwise as the generation that made the revolution are practically all gone and the majority of Cubans remain drenched in poverty. Add to that the lures of consumer culture that Cubans are exposed to on the Internet and through the tourist industry, it becomes understandable that there is an ideological as well as an economic crisis in Cuba. Cubans are aware that six decades after the revolution a newly emerging bourgeoisie has grown up in Cuba. There are now dozens of millionaires in Cuba, something that was unthinkable in previous years. Social inequality has grown considerably in the last few years. Nevertheless there remains a spirit in the Cuban people that is unique. Despite the inroads of capitalism, every Cuban is still guaranteed free health care and free education. And Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The idea of socialism, if not the reality, still lives in Cuba.
I will save further comments for a later time. Here are some images and video of May Day in Havana.
Havana, Cuba, May 2, 2019
7 comments:
Revolutionary tourism? I was expecting a post on science and dialectical materialism. What's your opinion of Lee Smolin's latest book, "Einstein's Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum"?
Not exactly tourism. I am here for an important conference. More about that later.
But then again is it not legitimate to provide a glimpse of May Day in Cuba? Is there some problem in celebrating the international holiday of the working class?
I just got Smolin's latest book. It appears to make a very important argument against various trends in cosmology and quantum mechanics that essentially revive subjective idealism. It should be welcomed by anyone who takes seriously a materialist - in its most profound sense - philosophical approach.
Nothing wrong with May Day in Cuba or celebrating a working class holiday. Will you do a review of Smolin's book? Given your stated interest in physics and dialectical materialism, this should be right up your alley.
I look forward to your report. The subject of Cuba is definitely one which I need to learn more about.
Regards,
Adam Cortright
https://www.marxist.com/historical-seminar-in-havana-discusses-the-ideas-of-leon-trotsky.htm
just read this account of a conference held in Havana.
I was a participant at this historic conference. The first one ever held in Cuba devoted to Trotsky. I will be posting my thoughts about it shortly.
Alex
I look forward to reading your thoughts on the conference.
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