THE BATTLE OF IDEAS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC POLICIES OF CUBA'S DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Abstract

The disputed models of society that were established at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century arrived in the last decade of the millennium with an unpredictable and brutal reality: capitalism considered the satanic mill of social ills became hegemonic in the planetary escalation as the most successful model of socioeconomic development; On the other hand, socialism, self-styled as the highest phase of capitalism, for upholding honorable principles of solidarity and social protection, by a hair's breadth, did not completely collapse in all the countries where it had access to political power. This controversial scenario, although quite evident, did not make it clear what the socio-economic development potential of both systems was, insofar as capitalism was still seen as a promoter of exploitation and social exclusion on a global scale, at the same time that socialism continued to sustain the argument in favour of human equality in few places.  although he was weakened.  In the midst of this environment, the question that is pertinent to investigate was: what are the socioeconomic material conditions of the socialist models that work with them if they are considered promoters of collective well-being. In particular, we investigate the experience of socialism in Cuba, seeking to identify how its economic development policy appropriates its socialist principles to achieve the dignity of man and, therefore, whether the degree of its development legitimizes its assumptions of a society situated at a higher level. stage to capitalism. Under the socioeconomic development approach, the research data revealed low economic and productive efficiency, marked by a backward and obsolete technological base, high external indebtedness, levels of regional and social inequality, with an incidence of poverty being the income of workers. quite depreciated monetarily. It was concluded that socialist principles – precisely the consideration of market functions and social/state ownership of the means of production – are methodologically erratic and were poorly treated in the formulation of Cuban economic policy, and therefore, cannot guarantee well-being. which they profess so strongly because of their theoretical insufficiency and practical inapplicability.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.031-056