Tooting Carmen's list of relatively benign dictators

[Tooting Carmen]

I think his greatest value is more as a metapolitical symbol than anything, as in, a big FY to Uncle Sam, and representing the utopia of Caribbean insular sovereignty, specially when there are still swaths of insular territory under the thumb of European (and Yankee) hegemons yet.

Plus also he was largely pressurised by US intransigence and hostility to turning towards Communism and the USSR. From what I gather, he originally wanted to instigate a sort of corporatist-hybrid economy, yet even this was too radical for the US overlords.

[Tooting Carmen]

Looking at this thread again, I would just like to say that I have recanted most of my support for Castro. While in its earlier years his regime may have been necessary and at least on some measurements even quite successful, it has ultimately degenerated into an oppressive impoverished dictatorship to the point where roughly one third of Miami's population is made up of people fleeing the country and their descendants.

[Sebastianus Rex]

Looking at this thread again, I would just like to say that I have recanted most of my support for Castro. While in its earlier years his regime may have been necessary and at least on some measurements even quite successful, it has ultimately degenerated into an oppressive impoverished dictatorship to the point where roughly one third of Miami's population is made up of people fleeing the country and their descendants.

The irony is that Castro was a CIA creature.

The only thing preventing Cuba from being the completely failed state that it is now, without even basic foods in the grocery stores, was the aid of the USSR while it lasted.

[Tooting Carmen]

The irony is that Castro was a CIA creature.

The only thing preventing Cuba from being the completely failed state that it is now, without even basic foods in the grocery stores, was the aid of the USSR while it lasted.

Yes and no. After the USSR went, Cuba opened up to mass tourism (albeit with some controls), which did keep things going for a while once they endured their "Special Period", but the cumulative effect of the embargo, Communist policies themselves and the loss of cheap oil from Venezuela following the latter's own economic crisis has led to the current abyss.

[Sebastianus Rex]

Yes and no. After the USSR went, Cuba opened up to mass tourism (albeit with some controls), which did keep things going for a while once they endured their "Special Period", but the cumulative effect of the embargo, Communist policies themselves and the loss of cheap oil from Venezuela following the latter's own economic crisis has led to the current abyss.

So you just confirmed what I wrote, without the support of the USSR the Castro regime became a failed state.

[Tooting Carmen]

So you just confirmed what I wrote, without the support of the USSR the Castro regime became a failed state.

Sort of, but the revenue from tourism and then the cheap oil from Chavez did keep a lid on things until recently.

[Sebastianus Rex]

Sort of, but the revenue from tourism and then the cheap oil from Chavez did keep a lid on things until recently.

Likewise Germany industrial might relied on cheap Russian energy. Another future failed country.

[Tooting Carmen]

Likewise Germany industrial might relied on cheap Russian energy. Another future failed country.

It would not be quite such an issue had Frau Merkel not decided to shut down its nuclear reactors. But let us not go off-topic. If we were to substitute Castro for King Hussein of Jordan on my original list, what would you think?

[Sebastianus Rex]

Sort of, but the revenue from tourism and then the cheap oil from Chavez did keep a lid on things until recently.

The question is that the Cuban economy is so weak and unproductive, and their currency so worthless that they are out of the international trade system. Which comodities/products other countries are going to trade with Cuba? A completely failed regime.

[Tooting Carmen]

The question is that the Cuban economy is so weak and unproductive, and their currency so worthless that they are out of the international trade system. Which comodities/products other countries are going to trade with Cuba? A completely failed regime.

Sugar and rum, much like before?