Thread: Workers cooperatives in Cuba

I read that goverment in Cuba is trying to switch from centraly planned model to worker`s cooperatives.As I understood from an articles workers supposed to do a self-management.Could somebody tell what is workers self management is in reality
and how it will probably work in Cuba?Maybe ability of cooperative members to elect a professional manager will work much more practical?

well if they're doing it in true communist fashion (it's cuba so i think i can take that for granted) then it will vary from cooperative to cooperative. some cooperatives would be direct democracies where each worker has a vote on each issue they choose to vote on. the cooperative will be kind of like a union except it is more diversified than a trade or industry union, workers cooperatives can range from trade specific to encorporating workers of all neccesary talents and experience to be self sufficient(generally how a communist worker's cooperative is supposed to work.)

although some cooperatives will probably take a representative as their leader with democratic elections, as you thought is more useful. it is certainly a viable model, but it is not communistic as it turns the group from a group of equals into a group comprised of a leader and many followers. the history of popular support for socialism in the last century in cuba suggests that the people when given the choice will probably form more communistic and democratic worker's cooperatives than a republic style organization could bring.

unfortunately i don't think that this will spell the end for the government in cuba and send cuba into history as the first ever true marxist communist state. some basic services are going to remain subject to the government because it is very difficult to provide them with worker's cooperatives. but this is an important step down one road of political reform that has never been attempted in earnest. perhaps if the cooperatives grow sufficiently so that one encompasses over half the population of cuba then that could spell the true beginning of the end of socialism and the start of communism in cuba.

Originally Posted by saul

well if they're doing it in true communist fashion (it's cuba so i think i can take that for granted) then it will vary from cooperative to cooperative. some cooperatives would be direct democracies where each worker has a vote on each issue they choose to vote on. the cooperative will be kind of like a union except it is more diversified than a trade or industry union, workers cooperatives can range from trade specific to encorporating workers of all neccesary talents and experience to be self sufficient(generally how a communist worker's cooperative is supposed to work.)

although some cooperatives will probably take a representative as their leader with democratic elections, as you thought is more useful. it is certainly a viable model, but it is not communistic as it turns the group from a group of equals into a group comprised of a leader and many followers. the history of popular support for socialism in the last century in cuba suggests that the people when given the choice will probably form more communistic and democratic worker's cooperatives than a republic style organization could bring.

Well, as a Socialist myself, and a supporter of Cuba, I'd have to state you're sort of on the right track.

Though, to answer the OP's question on the self-employment. What we're looking at is the worker's owning the means of production, and aren't allowed to hire other workers, besides themselves and family. This is to ensure of disabling any possibility of capitalist markets to rise and exploiting another worker's labor force.

This went on for a while. And it was sufficient, but not sufficient enough. So they've brought in a small capitalist sector within the economy. It makes up to 10% or less of the economy, with the rest being of the worker's cooperatives and State-owned enterprises. The cooperatives and SOE's are the most efficient, but the newly designed private sector is to start boosting production. The international economic crisis didn't help Cuba very well, and production started declining. So they had to do something to ensure the safety of their Socialist economy.

I ended up writing an article on what exactly is going on in Cuba today:

http://redantliberationarmy.wordpres...ill-very-real/

Though, to also point out, this small capitalist market doesn't destroy the flourishing of Socialism in Cuba. It helps it. And all the great things that's been ensured for the people of Cuba is still very present:

http://redantliberationarmy.wordpres...inst-the-lies/

Originally Posted by saul

unfortunately i don't think that this will spell the end for the government in cuba and send cuba into history as the first ever true marxist communist state. some basic services are going to remain subject to the government because it is very difficult to provide them with worker's cooperatives. but this is an important step down one road of political reform that has never been attempted in earnest. perhaps if the cooperatives grow sufficiently so that one encompasses over half the population of cuba then that could spell the true beginning of the end of socialism and the start of communism in cuba.

The transition from Socialism to Communism is still ongoing. Though, being surrounded by a capitalist world, and neighbors to one the most powerful imperialist nation, doesn't really help that transition take off. But as long as ALBA stays intact, and its allies, such as China, Vietnam, Belarus, etc. stays true to them, I'm sure Communism will become a reality for Cuba and it's people.

Oh, and by the way, there's no such thing as a Communist State. As has been laid out from Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, etc. etc., for there to be Communism, we must first end class distinctions and wither away of the Proletarian State. Once this happens, we then have Communism. No more class differences, and no more need of a State.

thanks all for sharing