More evidence that Marxism doesn't work.
In the past two years, Cuban president Raul Castro has introduced over 300 changes to the totalitarian command economy. These actions indicate that even the country's leadership knows that Communism is destructive to an economy and its people.
How destructive?
American Enterprise Institute released a state gross domestic product map. This map was unique in that it listed the country closest to each states output. Cuba's economy was closest to that of West Virginia.
The Mountain State ranked 49th in the nation in some measures of GDP in 2012, yet tremendously outperformed Cuba. West Virginia's 1.8 million people live in an area with less than half the land area of Cuba and less than 10 percent of the population.
Were Cuba a US state, a chasm would separate it from the per capita productivity of all other states.
Leftists avoid the issue of Fidel Castro's brutal treatment of political dissidents and Che Guavara's murderous terrorism, while praising selected parts of his system.
The current Cuban regime's moves mirror Vladimir Lenin's 1921 New Economic Policy. Lenin liberalized the Soviet Communist system just enough to keep it afloat, but did little to expand true opportunities for the industrious.
A free Cuba holds tremendous potential. Cuban refugees flourished in the American business community, particularly in Florida. Immigrants and their children have emerged as important leaders at the state and national level. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio represent their constituents ably in the United States Senate. West Virginia's Alex Mooney may well succeed Shelley Moore Capito as 2nd District Representative should he win the GOP nomination there.
Certainly the same tradition that produced such success stories in the United States can revive under the warm sun of liberty, once it is restored to that country.
That means that Cuba should not be overly praised or rewarded for simply trying to keep their totalitarian system afloat with piecemeal changes. Only a full revolution of liberty deserves praise and support.
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