Communist Cuba: seeing it for ourselves
Communism was the main factor that shot Cuba right up to the top of my travel wish list. I have no desire to share my wealth, but my drive to visit Cuba was fueled by wanting to see communist Cuba in action. No one knows for sure what will happen when Fidel Castro dies, but given the easing of certain restrictions already under the leadership of his brother Raúl, it seems likely that the 1950s Havana Vieja postcard look of Cuba will change.
And before that happens, I wanted to see it for myself.
The Museo de la Revolución, shrine to the communist revolution, is located, somewhat jarringly, in the former presidential palace. It’s strange to see olive green uniforms and faded, yellowing newspaper clippings on display in gleaming white marble halls.
Then again, I have no room to talk about what makes for an appropriate match. There I am, smiling in a picture of the entryway riddled with bullet holes from the communist takeover of the palace.
There I am again, outside the museum, smiling by a missile that used to be pointed at the US. I realized that was probably wrong and switched to a sad puppy face for this one. This whole square proudly displays not only the missile but also an imposing tank, the mangled fuselage of a US spy plane shot down over Cuba and – again with the incongruity – a like-new silver Jeep that was Raul Castro’s during the revolution.
This juxtaposition seemed to weave its way throughout my experiences with communist Cuba. On the one hand, socialist propaganda everywhere – yes, all these murals support socialism, and yet we always talk about communist Cuba. On the other hand, no graffiti or unsightly publicity. While I initially balked at the in-your-face messages, I came to appreciate the lack of other visual pollution.
The Plaza de la Revolución takes this to a whole new level. This square is absolutely massive, as are the tower and the images of Che and Fidel. Again, a little over the top “love your leaders” for my taste. But when the largest city square in the world is kept absolutely pristine, perhaps over the top communist Cuba is doing something right.
Of course, it’s one thing for me to say that. I went home after 9 days. I can enjoy the benefits of communist Cuba – pretty buildings! pretty murals to photograph! – without any of the drawbacks. It would take far more than a quick trip to truly understand this political regime, so I won’t insult either Cubans or my political science degree by trying.
The only thing I will say is that everyone we talked to, regardless of political affiliation, agreed on one thing: Cuba has an economic problem. Since 2004, Cuba has had two currencies. Most Cubans earn, in Cuban pesos, a salary equivalent to US$20/month. Tourists, however, use the convertible peso or CUC, which is worth 25 Cuban pesos. So it’s easy to see how suddenly you’ve got good little rule-following doctors making a fraction of what the taxi driver paid in CUC is bringing home.
This influx of wealth means that prices are rising. $20 a month when your basic needs are provided for by the government might cut it when everyone’s earning the same amount, but suddenly there’s more cash floating around, and former treats are now unattainable luxuries. It also means that young Cubans have no real incentive to study and work in fields that make a society run when anything that gets them in touch with tourists is so much more lucrative.
The thing is, you can’t really half-ass communism. The second some people start improving their economic situation, everyone else is going to want the same thing. And why not, if that premise is the entire basis of your society?!
I don’t know what the future holds for Cuba. I don’t know if Raul will continue opening the island up to outside influences, or if Cuba’s leaders will decide they’ve gone too far and swing back the other way. I don’t know what the right answer is to avoid suffering for those who’ve bought into the system when and if capitalism comes to call, and they find themselves thrown into poverty. All I know is that I finally got my taste of communist Cuba, and it left me wanting to understand more.
More in this series:
We’re going to…
Preparing for Cuba
Snapshots from Cuba
La Bodeguita del Medio: following Hemingway in Cuba
The heart of Havana Vieja
Our Havana tour
Trinidad, a colonial gem
Cuba’s best beaches
Getting adventurous in Cuba
The casa particular: where to stay in Cuba
One day in Viñales
I have LOVED reading your posts about Cuba, I’ve really wanted to go – but feel a bit the same push and pull that you describe (albeit you were THERE).
So glad you’re enjoying them! It’s definitely an interesting place, especially coming from the US where so much of what we’ve heard growing up is “communism=bad” often without an understanding of exactly how it even works.
Hi Emily,
Very interesting indeed!
What will happen to Cuba once Fidel is no longer there? Although he might no longer be there physically, the young adults in the society are thirsty for change but will they be able to move forward?
Although it is really interesting to visit Cuba, you feel that people want more when you speak to them. They know there is more out there, things they could buy and places to visit, feeling free although some will tell you they are free. We would often hear ‘I can’t have more than my neighbour’ although now, with tourism money or underground economy, some see that it is possible to have a lot more.
Cuba will need to rebuild its economic strategies and get out of their isolation as they no longer have the support of Russia and China like in the ‘good old days’. Also, how much foreign currency does Cuba have? Beside tourism, sugar and mineral ores, they will need to aim for export and re-industrialize the country. Finally, Cuba will face a new challenge of defending their country’s independence and culture hopefully to develop the democratic mechanisms that is needed. It will surely be interesting to see how change will eventually affect this nation.
Everyone, Carine will now be writing the blog for me
As far as your second paragraph goes, we talked to some people who said they’d never want to live anywhere but Cuba, but they still wanted the chance to go out and see other places. Others of course were already planning to leave to join family members in Miami or Europe.
It’s definitely a complicated issue, and I hope the changes end up being positive.
No apologies, I loved you comment!
Thanks for sharing your Cuban adventure! Great post and photos!
You’re welcome – glad you liked it!
I found the difference in Vietnam between 2002 and 2008 significant as the time it had been open had increased. Unfortunately I don’t think we’ll make it to Cuba before Castro dies and it will definitely been interesting to see how Cuba changes for both those living there and those visiting.
I think it will be interesting to go back in the future and see what’s changed. It’s hard for me to compare our experience with what other people told me, where they often had more restricted contact with Cubans, and figure out what’s due to time vs. other circumstances (them not being latinos – I passed as Chilean for most coversations – or Rodolfo having traveled there previously with a sports delegation).
We’ve been on a bit of a thematic tour of ex-Soviet run places over the last year and always see evidence of communism in museums but it must be so different to actually be in a place where it still stubbornly exists. Great photos – love your dress!
It was definitely interesting to see a communist society at work as opposed to just learning about the concept.
And thank you – that dress is a lifesaver in crazy heat like we had in Cuba!
All the Communist paraphernalia was very entertaining, if not frightening. Can’t believe Andi and I didn’t go to that museum!
It was interesting, but a lot of it was just text, and the order was a little funky so that it was hard to follow the sequence of events. So don’t feel too bad about missing it!
I won’t get into my personal politics but this is exactly why I want to see Cuba as it is now before Castro passes away. I think a big change is coming and I’d like to see how Cuba is led right now rather than when that happens. I know the economy is struggling over there but I do wish that everyone else in the world would follow suit of Cuba’s example by allowing every citizen free education (until PhD) and free healthcare.
I wouldn’t take it up to PhD level, but I do think access to education is hugely important, as is affordable healthcare. Sadly the US is showing right now just how hard it is to implement change in the healthcare system.
I left Cuba completely confused and not knowing what to think either! I loved hearing another American’s perspective on visiting the country. I hope I too can return before Cuba changes — even if it changes for the better. AMAZING shots! LOVE your dress!!!
I think it would be really hypocritical and borderline patronizing for me to say that I loved communism because in my own life I certainly don’t want to have to live under those restrictions on personal wealth, and I can’t understand that lifestyle based on a vacation. But it does get a little more complicated after seeing some of the positives vs. just growing up in the US and hearing it’s all negative.
And thank you!
I so want that Jeep.
It’s awesome and in mint condition – we wanted it too!
We once heard a comedian ask “if you are getting your picture taken at ground zero, do you smile?” Your missile picture made me think of that.
If I may make one more completely surface comment (on a very thoughtful and thought provoking post), you look FIERCE in that big hall.
Yeah, I felt a bit irreverent throwing on my standard “say cheese” face.
And Caanan. You may ALWAYS make surface comments when they’re that complimentary!
I traveled to Vietnam, which I suppose is technically still politically communist — though they have let Western capitalism in in many many ways! I would be intrigued to see Cuba for the same reason.
Oooh, it would be interesting to see both countries and look at how each is combining communism and capitalism.
This is such a hard topic. We talked to all sorts of people – some were happy. Some were sad. I’m sure there are a range of emotions in between.
It’s not something that’s easy to get an overall feeling for because there are so many sides to the issue. And it’s definitely not easy to write about since so much of what I took was just feelings rather than concrete examples.
Thanks again for wetting the tastebuds to see Cuba! I especially enjoy reading blog posts with a historical/political twist to them… Hopefully the future brings the same economic and lifestyle improvement for Cubans we’re seeing happen right now in places like Burma.
Any time! The history and politics of Cuba are far too involved for just one blog post, so you really are going to have to go and experience them for yourself.
Emily, I love reading deep insights like. I would love to visit Cuba to see how a country made the transition from cheap easily available oil to a post Peak Oil type economy. Let me explain. Cuba was supplied with cheap oil and food imports by its communist friend Russia. Then when the Iron Curtain fell in 1989 and then Russia ditched communism they no could afford to support Cuba. It was make the transition or die. Agriculture could no longer afford chemical fertilisers or to run highly mechanised farms. The diet had to change to be less reliant on meat apart from pork that is.
Did you look at the subject of post Peak Oil? I asked another blogger who claims to be ‘eco’ to look at this aspect when he visited on a Press Trip. All he came back with was clichéd photos of old gas guzzling cars and stories of mojitos and Hemingway.
Nope, not an eco blogger nor do I know much about Peak Oil beyond the basics of what the term means. Economic history’s always interesting though!
Wow! Loved this post for so many reasons (your dress rocked too
) but communism is a state of mind that I have strong opinions about–a good friend of mine is Bulgarian and despite the country’s post communist outlook she does NOT want to go back because a residual mentality still exists. It will take years for Cuba to progress beyond Castro, but I hope for their sake they do. Those bullet holes and your pretty smile are so amazingly oxymoronic!
One thing I feel after visiting Cuba is that the country isn’t going to magically change the second Fidel dies. I had the impression that it would change rapidly, and maybe it will, but now I think it’s more likely that the change will be slower. I even think that might be better in the long-run compared to a sudden, unplanned change. We’ll see!
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