Today we killed Santa Claus, i.e. we left the town of San Nicolas behind us. It was the 33rd day of our 50-day march, each day reflecting on one year of the Cuban Revolution. It was round about the 33rd year of the Revolution that Russia was forced to stop supporting Cuba financially. The whole of Communist Eastern Europe had collapsed and Cuba was left on its own. Santa Claus had died, so to speak.
So Cuba had no choice but to open up a bit and resorted to tourism. The pace of the Revolution slowed down. The Cuban people started losing confidence in the system. Our march also has to slow down, for other reasons. But the analogy - pure coincidence, of course - is striking.
The pace also slowed down, because Cuba was still unwilling to fundamentally rethink. The government introduced some marginal changes, but on the whole just dragged on, hoping that somehow someway they could make socialism work after all. Or was it maybe they were waiting for a new solution to show up? Something that would be a dignified way forward instead of a return to vulture-capitalism, making 50 years of revolutionary effort completely meaningless? If that is the case, there is hope for Solidarism. In 17 days time - God willing - we will reach the Central Plaza of Nueva Paz. Let’s see what happens. Maybe Cuba will be ready then for a New Peace.
If so, we look forward to receiving the permit we are seeking to publish ARCO in Cuba. This will give us a chance to explain Solidarism to the Cuban people. This will trigger a discussion and create a new perspective for Cuba and the world.
China’s solution is monstrous
Some Cubans favor the Chinese solution. These are likely to be members of Cuba’s only constitutionally recognized political party. They are afraid to lose power and thus suggest the China Option.
The Chinese Communist Party maintains absolute political power, but has introduced the capitalist economic model. Immediately, the economic power concentration mechanisms started operating. A tiny economic elite is emerging in China. It will not be long before this elite will start infiltrating the Communist Party and at a certain stage more or less take over. This will not be advertised; it will not be visible. But it is bound to happen. This makes the China Option worse than capitalism with political democracy. If Cuba should reject Solidarism and should opt to return to capitalism, then at least introduce some freedom and political democracy as well!
Democracy, not democracy
Democracy run by a tiny economic elite behind the scenes is democracy. Unless capital ownership is structurally diffused so that there is no economic elite, real democracy is impossible. Political democracy without economic democracy is like a man without a soul.
We are happy with the little (political) democracy there is in Western Europe, Japan and North America. Something is better than nothing. But we know it is at least half cosmetics. The only real choice the people in the U.S., for instance, have is between the Democratic and Republican Party. The difference between the two is marginal. What kind of a choice is it really to have to choose between capitalism and capitalism? This is unreal. It appears to be what it is not.
God is
This article seems to jump from one unrelated topic to the next. But the connection is there. Soul leads to God, does it not?
The 33rd day (or year rather) is significant in the Christian religion. Those of faith know why. We have stated earlier that Solidarism has an interfaith spiritual basis. What does this mean? In an earlier article we stated that ‘God is pressure’. Here we state that ‘God is Justice’. Solidarism is based on Justice. Only Justice will bring peace. We know full well that any word or phrase filled in after the words ‘God is’, is superfluous and could only limit the Limitless. The only possible answer to the question ‘Who/What is God?’, is silence. However, we suggest the phrase ‘God is Justice’ to be a good starting-point for meditation. For people of all faiths. Think about it.