- Capitalism and Alternatives -

the Cuba issue

In Reply to: ensure success the 2nd time around posted by GERARD, A CITIZEN ALSO on November 27, 1997 at 13:36:55:

>> SOCIALISM/COMMUNISM HAS NEVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN ANY PLACE, AT ANY TIME IN
>> THE PAST.
>> Russia, Cuba, E.Europe, China, etc etc etc were and are NOT examples of
>> communism in the true form, ..

> WHAT IS EVERYONES PROBLEM WITH CUBA?

I do apologize, Comrade Gerard , for not making it entirely clear what I meant by including Cuba in my list of non-socialist societies. I personally don't know all that much about modern-day Cuba and how it is being run, but I DO know that no, it is NOT on the same human-degrading level as 'communist' Russia and China , as you stated. Re-reading my message I realize that I was being misleading, and failed to point that out. Sorry!!! But my position still stands that socialism cannot work in one country alone, rather, the entire world must want (and get!) socialism, for reasons I described in other messages on here. (You can also check out the World Socialist Movement's web page for more info. on that!). This is why I can't very well call Cuba a socialist state, no matter how 'socialist' it may seem. But then again, I'm not going to preach what I don't know. I will admit that Cuba-related information is NOT my strongpoint!!! (Although one of your other messages DID help me to learn a little more, comrade--thank you!). I hope that this clears the air a bit over this issue! thank you, again comrades!
Oh, and yes, you are most certainly correct, Comrade Gerard--we CAN learn from others' mistakes, which is why it IS so important to study other so-called 'communist' and 'socialist' movements. And it would be ridiculous for me to say that none of those guys I mentioned above (Lenin, Trotsky and the like) held ANY socialist views. Of course they had good intentions, but the point it that it didn't (for some reason) turn out the way they initially intended it. So my point was simply that THEIR MOVEMENTS didn't turn out socialist. Once again, I'm sorry for not making that point earlier. Yes, all of these men DID make wonderful contributions to the socialist movement, and I'd be a fool not to listen to what they had to say. But, one thing that we must remember is that socialism--true socialism--cannot and MUST NOT be run under leaders. Socialism means by all for all, so once there is a 'socialist leader' there is a non-socialist movement. Thank you for your time, Comrades!

Follow Ups:

None.