[Marxism] Fidel: To blame the Pope for socialism's fall is too simplistic

["Walter Lippmann" <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is part of Granma International's summary of the
five-hour presentation Fidel Castro made last night in
Cuba giving his assessment of the Pope's significance,
historically and politically. This is essential to an
understanding of why the Cuban government has taken
the approach it has to the Pope's death. Until a more
complete transcript is made available, this will be
the most important single thing you can read on this
subject. The link to the full report is given below.

Clearly Fidel Castro remembers what he learned when
he read Plekhanov's ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN HISTORY.

Fidel is trying to educate the Cuban people, in the first
place, and the international public, particularly those
who are thinking about the meaning of life when they are
considering it's significance in light of the Pope's death.

For the convenience of readers, I've also put together a
series of commentaries and reports, from both the Cuban
and international media, about these events. Read that:
http://www.walterlippmann.com/pope.html


Walter Lippmann, CubaNews
http://www.walterlippmann.com
=======================================================

GRANMA INTERNATIONAL
Havana. April 7, 2005

To make the Pope responsible for the fall of socialism
is to make too simple an analysis of history

. Fidel reiterates similarities between the humanist ideas
of the Pope and those defended by the Cuban Revolution

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/abril/vier8/16fpapa-i.html

WE fervently want the Pope's example to endure, confirmed
President Fidel Castro during his special address in the
International Conference Center to leaders of the Party,
state, government and the UJC, representatives of the
grassroots organizations and officers and combatants of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the
Interior.

"It honors us," he stated, "that he visited us; I was
right," he added, "when I said then that the Pope did not
entertain any notion of damaging our people. His sentiments
towards the Cuban people were noble, and were clearly and
paradigmatically summarized by him on leaving Cuba when he
spoke out against the blockade, which he described as
unjust and ethically unacceptable. This opinion of the Holy
Father, "commented Fidel, "should not be forgotten by the
president of the United States when he takes part in the
funeral ceremony in Rome.

In the president's view the death of the religious leader
constitutes a tremendously significant event that has
touched international public opinion and given rise to a
week of mourning throughout the planet.

John Paul II lived during one of the most complex and
crucial moments for humanity, in which the world has
reached a veritable crossroads, unlike any other point in
history. For the first time, the disappearance of our
species is a real danger and not just because of war and
the proliferation of nuclear weapons; humans are also
running unprecedented risks because they are destroying
nature, and polluting everything around them, remarked
Fidel.

The leader of the Revolution characterized the fundamental
features of conflicts of the contemporary era as a basis
for understanding the importance of the pontificate of John
Paul II, whom he described as an exceptional man, a
determined fighter, untiring, whose virtues should not be
ignored. "These are our opinions from a human and social
focus, in the light of fundamental questions for humanity,
although we respect different opinions," he commented.

THE POPE WAS VERY CRITICAL OF CAPITALISM

"It is true," he stated, "that the Supreme Pontiff had a
critical attitude to issues which, from his religious
standpoint, he believed were poorly accomplished in
socialist countries. We should not forget that in Poland,
his native country, the nation and the Catholic religion
were born at the same time, indissolubly united, a fact
that was underestimated by that socialist state, where many
errors were committed including those related to respect
for different beliefs.

Fidel examined the historical ambit into which the man who
became the leader of the Catholic Church for 26 years was
born and raised. He also analyzed the political evolution
of Europe prior to the World War II, and warned that
communism has always frightened the world, including the
Cuban people at that time. It was the level of culture
achieved by the Revolution that allowed our people to
overcome those prejudices.

The Pope was not born or educated to destroy socialism.
"Making him responsible for the fall of this system in
Europe is to make a simplistic analysis of history," he
confirmed.

"Political culture in our country was born with the
Revolution," Fidel continued, "because the empire, the
oligarchy, the exploiters have made it their task to repeat
throughout the world that communism is the most horrible
thing to have existed. In the early years after the
revolutionary triumph of 1959," he indicated, "they began
making outrageous claims, such as that we were going to
Cuban families of their of custody rights and send their
children to Russia to be processed and turned into canned
food. "

He declared that if Cuban socialism were to collapse one
day, the blame would lie with no else but ourselves. He
also emphasized that once the Cold War was over, the Pope
was very critical of the capitalist system.

FULL:
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/abril/vier8/16fpapa-i.html


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