[Marxism] What do the Cubans want to do

[NÃstor Gorojovsky <nmgoro@xxxxxxxxx>]

A very short posting that contains a not-so-minor correction which in
a sense may help in the understanding of WL's obsession with things
Cuban, and even his -for so many here- distressing "mania" which even
takes him to point out that maybe frontal struggle against ObamaÂs
predictable-but-still-unrealized-by-USAmerican-masses treachery is not
the best way to look at the issue (whew; and of course, I insist that
giving WL the good bye does not look like the best idea on Planet
Earth to me. Though I wonÂt start a "censeo utCarthaginem esse
delendam" campaign here, I will write once that "censeo ut Gualterium
esse addendum"):

2009/1/24 Eli Stephens <elishastephens@xxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
> What Walter needs to realize a bit more, I would say, is that, although they 
> are Marxists, the
> Cubans are not Americans (or British or Australian or whatever other 
> nationality the readers of
> this list are), and their prime focus is on maintaining their own revolution 
> and at most helping it
> to extend throughout Latin America.

Things are not exactly this way

The primary concern of Cuban Marxists, who are serious people even
though they can be criticized on many points, but can see the main
issue at stake at every moment, is to keep Cuba alive. If they can do
it by exporting their own revolution, they will. If they can do it by
agreeing with more conservative governments, they will. If they can do
it by a wise mixture of both, they will. If they can do it by
refraining from exporting any revolution, they will. They know that if
Cuba returned to capitalism it would be sentenced. But they also know
that Cuba cannot make it in isolation. We should never forget those
words by RaÃl Castro at the end of the recent RÃo Group meeting: "At
last we could break the isolation".

That is, whatever comes from Cuba is strongly colored by the concrete
necessities of keeping a small -very small, mind you: Cuba has a
population of less than 15 million people, please compare with the
town, province, state or country you live in, and keep in mind that
socialism is a planetary project- country afloat in most dire waters.
So that if someone in the US of Am is strongly colored by the Cuban
way to see things, it is obvious he or she will give a benevolous eye
to Obama even when he or she may not trust him at all.

For Cuba, what really matters is, for example, whether Obama will open
up some doors to exchanges with the US of Am or not. This is hardly a
revolution, but this may strengthen the Cuban people in their daily
struggle to keep their head above the sea level. And yes, of course,
it may well spark doubts as to purity. Well, these doubts canÂt be
debated if one of the voices is stiffled.



It is *us* who need to focus on extending the revolution in
> the rest of the world, and as such, that's where our thoughts are or should 
> be focussed. The
> second thing to realize about Cuban opinion is that the Cubans aren't *just* 
> Marxists, or
> revolutionary socialists, they are also in charge of a *state*. That puts 
> certain constraints on
> them. *We* are free to call for "U.S. out of Guantanamo" (not just the 
> prison), but until now, the
> Cubans have judged that the needs of their *state* are such that they should 
> put that perfectly
> just demand on the back burner (although, in case you missed it, just two 
> days ago Raul *did*
> call for U.S. out of Guantanamo, but that was, if not a first, the first time 
> they have voiced such
> a demand in a long time).
>
> Should we listen to the Cubans? Very much so. Should we give their opinions 
> infinite weight, particularly when it comes to judging the political 
> situation in our own countries? We would be fools to do so.
>
>
> Eli Stephens
>  Left I on the News
>  http://lefti.blogspot.com
>
>
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-- 

NÃstor Gorojovsky
El texto principal de este correo puede no ser de mi autorÃa

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