Entrenchments of Ideas are Worth more than Entrenchments of Stone

Trincheras de ideas valen mas que trincheras de piedra.

This famous quote from the national hero, José Martí, serves as the standard of the Frederich Engels Printing Company. Its meaning is somewhat analogous to “the pen is mightier than the sword”. It valorizes Cuban culture and education and political ideology as great weapons in the “Battle of Ideas” with capitalism. Adopting the quote from Martí may intend to draw a historic link between the thoughts of the late 19th century and current Cuban social policy that favors education and cultural programs. That said, the massive role of the Cuban military in the society and the economy may belie the rhetorical discounting of “stone embattlements”.

Retail Shake-Up

The end of the summer saw stores that deal in the more pricey convertible peso undergoing big changes. Many had been relieved of all their merchandise, as they were being put under new management. The miliary and some of its joint-stock subsidaries are taking over some chains that had been hemmoraging losses due to merchandise diverted into the black market (i.e. stolen goods).

This occured at the same time that the National Assembley passed legislation creating a high constitutional office of Comptroller that is supposed to perform widespread audits and combat corruption.

Coincidental with these changes came a modest reduction in price for some common items at the covertible peso outlets.

Revolutionary Training

The motto of the Union of Young Communists is "Study, Work, Rifle". Seriously.

Diminished Shiny Guns: downsized military remains social force

Think tank tinkers chat about the state and prospects of the Cuban military.

Points of note:

Since end of Cold War, military downsized to 50,000 from over 250,000 (though theoretically every Cuban is a soldier in the face of an invasion).  A major challenge is where in society to place the hundreds of thousands that now find no positions in the armed forces.

At least half of new recruits must come from the children of workers and peasants.

Around the 20:40 mark Klepak speaks disparagingly--if obliquely--of Fidel's leadership of the military vis-a-vis Raul's.  He refers to the previous administration's micromanaging and blathering without calling Fidel out by name.  Is he worried about getting his next visa application rejected?  Or has he been thoroughly socialized into the culture of not naming certain names?

Social density, nosiness and gossip prevent people from engaging in large scale corruption.

The British guy is not saying anything revelatory.  But gives a good summary of the major moments in Cuban political economic history in the last 50 years.

The guy from the US War College drops names and intimates future courses based on officers' personal interests that he intuits.  He says the military is as important if not more than the communist party.  Then he notes that a key will be to see how far up the party structure the newer officers climb.  Wait, what?