Discussion
Response Guidelines
Respond to at least one of your peers (see attachment). Do you agree or disagree with his or her position? Are there any aspects of the post that need clarification? How do the resources you used in your post confirm or challenge the ideas presented by your peers? Use proper APA format for your citations and references.
Cuba is a small island country with much potential. It has been burdened by socialism in its most extreme form (Communism) for decades. Much of what drove this way of governing was direct support from the Soviet Union. Since then, capitalism has slowly begun to show its face in the state controlled country. For decades now, it has been a battle between the slow rise of capitalism and the ever-controlling Communist government, (Solman). It is without a doubt that capitalism is on the rise, something that used to be a mere whisper in the back alley is now starting to be seen in the daylight on main street.
Although this has been a battle for decades it is slowly starting to shift in the direction of capitalism to a point that there will be no return. Capitalism is the future of Cuba and though it may be a few more decades until it is fully unwrapped, it is inevitable. With the rise of tourism in Havana alone, this will encourage the move towards capitalism. With the arrival of more tourists come opportunity. "In October 2010 the government expanded authorizations for opening small businesses (in 178 different types of work) in the private sector" (Risco 2013). This opportunity is driven from tourism as most are small shops and restaurants. "A stroll through Old Havana is enough to convince anyone that the entrepreneurial spirit that is fast-transforming this city into a nation of shopkeepers is in full swing" (Nevaer, 2015).
As Cuban citizens, especially the youth, start to see the outside world more and more this will push a movement. Technology is getting to the point where as tourists bring it to the island the youth will be intrigued. This in turn will generate the youth to question why they are forced to miss out on such opportunities and realize with capitalism comes opportunity for a better life for themselves. Internet, Facebook, and the like, will especially drive this. The elderly as well will struggle to turn from it as they see the outside world creeping in. Havana is the capital with shops popping up and luxury beginning to be seen. As for the citizens as they begin to observe the items that capitalism brings we see such reactions, "Older Cubans are stunned at the sight of goods worth more than a lifetime's state salary. Teenagers and young adults pose for Facebook photos in front of store windows, throwing victory signs in echoes of the images sent by relatives in Miami, who pose grinning alongside 50-inch TV sets and luxury convertibles, (Weissenstein, 2017). It is only a matter of time before capitalism completely takes over.
References:
Nevaer, L. (2015, Jul 31). In Cuba, 'creeping capitalism' arrives. La Prensa San Diego.
Risco, I. (2013) Cuba Under Raul Castro's Reforms.
Solman, P. (n.d.) Capitalism Versus Socialism: The Cuban Quandary.
WEISSENSTEIN, M. (2017, May 09). With Lacoste, Mont Blanc, socialist Cuba has 1st luxury mall. AP Datastream A.