José Martí somehow believed that Latins (i.e. Latin-Americans) are superior to Europeans and North-Americans (who he regarded as replanted Europeans). This is curious for a man of his stature. It plays an invisible part in the stupid Cuba - U.S. conflict. It reminds one of Brazilian president Lula’s recent remark that it is the blue-eyed Europeans/Americans that are to blame for the mess the world is in right now, the Latins being the innocent victims, of course. Hugo Chavez doesn’t even use the word Americans’ anymore, but always calls them ‘Yankees’ (in a funny accent), not for complimentary reasons. All this is childish and unhelpful. In fact, it is done deliberately to sow hatred and is thus a possible cause of war.
However, at Chavez’ insistence, we’ll join the game for a while. Let’s get history straight, then, Hugo. Both Americans and Latins had equal chances when they came to the New World. In fact, the Latins had a head-start; they came first. Both came with nothing and had to build their countries from scratch with what they found. Of Europeans it can be said that they exploited their colonies and amassed riches that way. This accusation cannot be leveled at the North-Americans. Both Americans and Latins had to fight for
their independence, which did not come easily. Both were involved in the slave-trade and used slaves for cheap labor. Both were equally cruel to the Amerindians; Latins perhaps even more so, but let’s not quibble about levels of cruelty; the game is childish enough already. Now, after 400 years any honest person must admit that the U.S. and Canada made more of it than Latin-America. Are you happy now, Hugo Chavez?
Blame-game and superiority-complex
We joined Chavez’ game to demonstrate its stupidity. Whenever a politician or writer plays the blame-game or makes superiority-claims, beware. Ever heard of Hitler? To maintain hostilities or hateful rhetoric is to play one of these games. Cuba should look deep into its soul and ask itself if José Martí was right in this respect? The U.S., too, should think deeply. In fact, Obama offered new relations. Why not take him
up on that? This is the right moment for Cuba to move forward and adopt Solidarism. It’s a chance to get ahead.
We acknowledge that among people of all human races and nations there are differing levels of development, spiritually, intellectually and physically. Men and women are different, complementary, there is no doubt about that. A mentally retarded person is not equal to a genius. So, in this sense equality does not exist. Solidarism does not insist on any unrealistic understanding of equality. There will always be rich and poor. There are rich and poor in Cuba. But solidarist mechanisms can be put in place that do not violate liberty and that will at the same time guarantee a structural diffusion of capital and thereby a just distribution of wealth, gradually and naturally leveling out the extremes of riches and poverty (neither of which are good for the economy and thus prejudice the common good).
We hold that all men are created equal, i.e. equal in dignity (created in the image of God with full potential in each individual to reach the highest), equal before the law and entitled to equal (human) rights and opportunities. It is not Latins that are superior (although in Roman times they were ahead), nor Europeans/Americans (although now they are ahead), nor any other race, religion or group of human beings (there was a time when the Chinese were ahead). To believe in the superiority of a nation, class, race, group or religion is evidence of a superiority complex. This is a mental disorder, as is the inferiority (or ‘eternal victim’) complex, whose sufferers are particularly fond of the blame-game.
Solidarism is beyond all this. It holds out a promise to both capitalist and socialist countries. However, Cuba is in a unique position to adopt it now, precisely because of its Revolution. The legacy of the Revolution makes a swift transition and transformation easier than in capitalist countries, whereas solidarity as a lifestyle has a long tradition in Cuba and was strengthened by the Revolution. This solidarity is a necessary requirement to make Solidarism work. Cuba has it.